Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are ‘delighted’ as BBC pledges £90,000 generated from their wedding broadcast to help a hunger charity amid the coronavirus pandemic
- BBC are donating money from Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding broadcast
- Pledged £90,000 to Feeding Britain which provides UK families with hot meals
- Archbishop of Canterbury, who presided 2018 marriage, is President of charity
- Learn more about how to help people impacted by COVID
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have arranged for money generated from their royal wedding broadcast to be used to help feed children during the coronavirus pandemic.
Harry and Meghan asked for £90,000 – the excess profits from the BBC’s broadcast – to be given to the charity Feeding Britain.
A spokesman for the couple said they had been moved to hear of the organisation’s work during the coronavirus crisis.
Harry and Meghan, who have now quit as working royals and are living in the US, phoned the Archbishop of Canterbury, who conducted their marriage ceremony in 2018 and who is president of Feeding Britain, to discuss the donation to the charity’s countrywide projects.
The Duke, 35, and Duchess of Sussex, 38, are said to be ‘delighted’ to see the money from their BBC wedding broadcast go to ‘such a great cause’ as Feeding Britain. Pictured, at Commonwealth Day Service 2020 on March 09, 2020 in London
The Duke, 35, and Duchess of Sussex, 38, attracted a combined audience of 11.5 million people when they tied the knot at Windsor Castle on May 19
They became aware of Feeding Britain after paying a royal visit to the Feeding Birkenhead community supermarket in Merseyside in January last year, when Meghan was pregnant.
‘The duke and duchess were able to speak to the archbishop recently, and were moved to hear all about the work Feeding Britain was doing to support people during Covid-19,’ a spokesman for the Sussexes said.
‘They have particularly fond memories of their visit to the citizens’ supermarket in Birkenhead, especially the generosity and compassion of everyone working there to help others.
‘They are delighted to be able to ensure this money is donated to such a great cause.’
Supermarket sweep: Harry and Meghan officially opened Number 7, a Feeding Birkenhead citizens’ supermarket and community cafe, at Pyramids Shopping Centre, as part of their visit to Merseyside in January – their first joint engagement of 2019
The couple felt it was particularly fitting to be able to support the archbishop’s charity after he played such an important part in their lives and their wedding day.
Andrew Forsey, national director of Feeding Britain, said: ‘We are incredibly grateful for such generous support which, thank God, will sustain our emergency response to coronavirus until the schools return.
‘During that time, there are many tens of thousands of children who we are helping to supply with breakfast, lunch and dinner every day.
‘We’re just so grateful that the duke and duchess have contributed to that programme.’
The BBC covered most of the costs of the wedding broadcast, and used money raised from transmission rights and subsequent sales.
It was agreed at the time of the wedding that if there was any excess, a percentage of the profits would go to a charity nominated by Harry and Meghan.
The independent charity Feeding Britain works to eliminate hunger and its root causes from the UK.
It has warned that ‘schools are the first line of defence against hunger for so many children – at both breakfast and lunchtime. We cannot allow coronavirus to breach that defence’.
Meghan at Number 7 back in January, where her and Harry chatted to staff. Feeding Birkenhead is a coalition of churches, food banks, community groups, and other organisations working together to eliminate hunger in the Merseyside town