Choosing charity! Prince Harry and Meghan Markle gave Los Angeles families hands-on help during a Wednesday, August 19, event.
The couple volunteered with L.A. nonprofit Baby2Baby, royal reporter Omid Scobie tweeted on Friday, August 21, noting that the organization “provides local families and kids living in poverty with necessities like diapers, wipes and clothes.”
Scobie went on to write, “The charity has already distributed over 30 million items during Covid-19. … The event was the first to be held in conjunction with @LASchools as students start the 2020-21 school year in a distanced learning format. Alongside family essentials, Harry and Meghan’s visit to Dr Owen Lloyd Knox Elementary saw the couple hand out a variety of school supplies.”
The former military pilot, 35, and the Suits alum, 39, braved the heat to hand supplies out through car windows and interact with families. The couple matched in white shirts and shorts, both wearing face masks.
“We are so grateful to be onsite during the most unique back-to-school week in history distributing school supplies, backpacks, hygiene, clothing and food directly to children and families who have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and are struggling to afford the basic necessities they rely on school to provide,” Baby2Baby Co-Presidents Norah Weinstein and Kelly Sawyer Patricof told Us Weekly in a statement. “We are committed to supporting the students from our partners at LAUSD and around the country throughout distance learning as well as when they are back in the classroom.”
Harry and Meghan’s charitable outing came just after their move to the Montecito community in Santa Barbara, California. They previously lived in Tyler Perry’s Los Angeles mansion.
“Meghan visited Montecito in her teens and fell in love with the picturesque scenery and stunning architecture,” a source exclusively told Us of their relocation. “Moving there was always an option, but to begin with, she and Harry wanted to give Los Angeles a shot. Unfortunately, Harry absolutely hated it — the timing was so wrong amid the [coronavirus] pandemic and they lacked privacy.”
The insider went on to tell Us that Montecito is the perfect balance for them to keep their careers on track, explaining, “An added bonus is that Montecito is only just over an hour’s drive from L.A., which is where a majority of their work is based, yet far enough away to escape the crowds, paparazzi and tourism in Hollywood.”
The couple moved to the United States with their 15-month-old son, Archie, in March, two months after announcing their decision to step back from their duties as senior members of the royal family.
“We now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America, continuing to honor our duty to The Queen, the Commonwealth, and our patronages,” the pair wrote in a statement at the time. “This geographic balance will enable us to raise our son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charitable entity.”
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Keep scrolling to see the couple volunteering with Baby2Baby on Wednesday.
