Prince Harry, Meghan Markle seek charity donations over wedding gifts

LONDON — Prince Harry and Meghan Markle don’t want wedding gifts. The couple requested charitable donations instead.

Kensington Palace announced Monday that the couple has "personally selected" seven organizations well-wishers are asked to support. The organizations, the news release said, reflect the pair's "shared values."

"Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle are incredibly grateful for the goodwill shown to them since the announcement of their engagement and are keen that as many people as possible benefit from this generosity of spirit," Kensington Palace said in a news release. "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 do not have any formal relationships with the charities chosen. The couple have chosen charities which represent a range of issues that they are passionate about, including sport for social change, women's empowerment, conservation, the environment, homelessness, HIV and the Armed Forces. 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 organizations include Children's HIV Association, or CHIVA; homeless charity Crisis; the Myna Mahila Foundation, which provides affordable menstrual hygiene items; Scotty's Little Soldiers, which supports British Armed Forces children who have lost a parent; StreetGames, which aims to make sports available to disadvantaged youth; marine conservation charity Surfers Against Sewage; and The Wilderness Foundation UK, which promotes the benefits of wild nature.

The royal wedding will be May 19 at Windsor Castle's St. George's Chapel. More information on each of the charities can be found at the Royal Household website.

Cox Media Group