Isn’t it the worst when, with a month to go before a wedding, you realise you haven’t got the happy couple a gift yet?
Luckily, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have found a great solution for anyone struggling to come up with gift ideas.
And it doesn’t involve a last-minute dash to get a gravy boat, either.
The royal couple are asking for donations to seven different charities to be made in their name, for “anyone who might wish to mark the occasion of their wedding” on May 19, according to Kensington Palace.
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“The couple have personally chosen seven 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,” said the palace in a tweet.
“Many of these are small charities, and the couple are pleased to be able to amplify and shine a light on their work,” it added.
Prince Harry & Ms. Meghan Markle are incredibly grateful for the goodwill they have received since their engagement, & have asked that anyone who might wish to mark the occasion of their wedding considers giving to charity, instead of sending a gift. https://t.co/lzfrRmoeUvpic.twitter.com/nxrTZtIKBY
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) April 9, 2018
One on the list is an Indian charity, the Myna Mahila Foundation, which works in Mumbai’s slums to combat period stigma and to empower women. It works to educate women and girls about menstrual hygiene, provides low-cost sanitary products, and also provides women with stable employment.
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Markle visited the organisation’s offices in January last year, on a trip that inspired an article published in “Time” about stripping away taboos around periods.
Another charity on the list is UK homelessness organisation Crisis, which is particularly pertinent following the uproar around the treatment of homeless people in Windsor in the run-up to the wedding.
In preparation for the wedding and the expected influx of tourists, council leader Simon Dudley released a letter directed to the commissioner of the Thames Police, asking for action to be taken to stop “aggressive begging and intimidation in Windsor.”
“It is becoming increasingly concerning to see the quantities of bags and detritus that those begging are accumulating and leaving on our pavements,” he wrote. “The whole situation also presents a beautiful town in a sadly unfavourable light.”
Next up is @MynaMahila, which empowers women in Mumbai's slums by providing them with a trusted network, stable employment & the chance to grow as individuals & businesswomen, and breaks taboos around menstrual hygiene. https://t.co/suzul1y9cwpic.twitter.com/eIG3GP6bW7
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) April 9, 2018
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Jon Sparkes, the chief executive of Crisis, said they are “hugely grateful” to the royal couple.
“Homelessness is one of the most urgent issues of our time, but at Crisis we know what it takes to end it,” he said.
He added: “Donations will help us to support more people to leave homelessness behind through our housing, employment, education, and advice services across the country, and to campaign for the changes needed to solve the homelessness crisis once and for all.”
Other organisations on the list are Chiva, which supports children diagnosed with HIV, an issue that Harry’s mother Princess Diana campaigned fiercely on; StreetGames, a children’s sports charity; the Wilderness Foundation, which works to preserve the great outdoors and enable young people to access it; and Scotty’s Little Soldiers, which helps children who’ve lost a parent in the military.
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Also on the list is marine conservation organisation Surfers Against Sewage, which recently called on the UK government to eliminate single-use plastics after research showed more than 2 million “avoidable” plastic items were bought by the British parliament in 2017.
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