Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are going down the philanthropic route and have asked wedding guests to make donations to seven charities, instead of giving gifts. Kensington Palace made the announcement, saying that the couple are "incredibly grateful for the goodwill shown" to them and want "as many people as possible to benefit from this generosity of spirit".
The statement read: "The couple have therefore asked that anyone who might wish to mark the occasion considers making a donation to charity, rather than sending a wedding gift. Prince Harry and Ms. Markle have personally selected seven organisations they would like to support, reflecting their shared values."
Meghan and Harry have asked for charitable donations instead of gifts
The palace stated that Harry, 33, and Meghan, 36, do not have formal relationships with their chosen charities. They wanted a range of issues they are passionate about to be represented, including sport for social change, women's empowerment, conservation, the environment, homelessness, HIV and the Armed Forces. The statement ended: "Many of these are small charities, and the couple are pleased to be able to amplify and shine a light on their work."
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The former actress visiting the Myna Mahila Foundation last year
The seven charities are: CHIVA (Children's HIV Association), homelessness charity Crisis, the Myna Mahila Foundation which aims to empower women in Mumbai's urban slums, Scotty's Little Soldiers which helps bereaved Armed Forces children, StreetGames which uses sport to change lives, conservation charity Surfers against Sewage and The Wilderness Foundation UK.
Harry and Meghan visited StreetGames in Cardiff in January, while the Prince has made three visits to the charity in the past year. StreetGames uses sport to change lives across the UK, helping people and communities to become healthier, safer and more successful. The charity uses sport to empower young people to kick-start a cycle of positive change in their lives that resonates across communities.
Meghan visiting a StreetGames project in Cardiff in January
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When Harry and Meghan visited Star Hub in Cardiff, they were treated to a dance by a group of young children. The sweet moment of when Harry told the kids to "give Meghan a group hug, go!" was caught on camera. "You've made my day!" Meghan told the children as they rushed to cuddle her. "It's my first time in Wales ever. I love it. Everyone is so sweet."