Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have revealed their first big project since permanently stepping away from their roles with the royal family.
World Central Kitchen revealed the partnership with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s charity the Archewell Foundation on Wednesday. The organizations are working together to create four community relief centers in areas across the world that are heavily impacted by natural disasters.
WCK’s Felix on the ground in the Caribbean island nation of Dominica, where we’ve installed our first Community Relief Center with the Archewell Foundation. The kitchen equipment includes refrigerators & freezers that can work entirely off the electrical grid using solar power! pic.twitter.com/5aKZMEdqaM
— World Central Kitchen (@WCKitchen) February 24, 2021
“Announced late last year, the intent of these Centers is to provide both relief and resilience – as well as healing and strength – for the communities in which they’re based,” the organization revealed. “In times of crisis, they can be quickly activated as emergency response kitchens, and through calmer times they can serve as food distribution hubs, schools, clinic or community gathering spaces for families.” (RELATED: Meghan Markle, Prince Harry Send Money To Help Texas Women’s Shelter Following Winter Storm)
The first relief center has already been built in Dominica, according to World Central Kitchen.
“Dominica, a beautiful volcanic island in the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles, has been severely impacted by hurricanes over the last half decade,” the organization explained. “In 2015, Hurricane Erika destroyed hundreds of homes and caused extensive damage, followed in 2017 by the back-to-back horrors of Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria, the latter of which brought 160mph winds and destroyed over 90% of the island’s infrastructure.”
The next relief center will be built in Puerto Rico, which was badly damaged by Hurricane Maria in 2017.
After stepping away for a year, Queen Elizabeth II confirmed Meghan Markle and Prince Harry would not be returning to their royal duties.
“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have confirmed to Her Majesty The Queen that they will not be returning as working members of The Royal Family,” the statement said.
Prince Harry and Markle confirmed the news with their own statement.
“As evidenced by their work over the past year, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex remain committed to their duty and service to the U.K. and around the world, and have offered their continued support to the organizations they have represented regardless of official role,” a statement said, as previously reported. “We can all live a life of service. Service is universal.”
Markle and Prince Harry shocked the world in January of 2020 after they announced they would be giving up their “senior” roles and splitting their time between North America and the United Kingdom. Reports at the time claimed that the statement was not discussed with the Queen or other senior members of the royal family.