Prince Harry and Meghan Markle donate $130,000 to charity on his birthday
Watch: Prince Harry receives birthday wishes from Royal Family as he turns 36
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have celebrated his 36th birthday by donating $130,000 to a charity aimed at educating young girls in Africa.
Supporters of the couple - known as the Sussex Squad - started fundraising on social media for pan-African organisation CAMFED under the hashtag #InspiredbyMeghan.
The campaign closed at $129,926 on Tuesday, the duke’s birthday - and Harry and Meghan have since announced that have decided to match it with $130,000 of their own money.
The couple said: “No better way to celebrate what really matters. Thank you to everyone who donated.”
Harry turned 36 on Tuesday, same age as his mother Diana when she was killed in a car crash in Paris in 1997.
He, Meghan and their son Archie have recently moved into their new home in California, which they bought with their own money after becoming financially independent.
Read more: William and Kate share throwback photo to wish Prince Harry a happy birthday
Just in, a message from The Duke & Duchess of Sussex, who are matching your INSPIRING actions by making a $130,000 gift to CAMFED:
‘No better way to celebrate what really matters. Thank you to everyone who donated, Harry and Meghan’#TogetherWeCan!https://t.co/V8oOy2Z4BH pic.twitter.com/YWgziRnpYK— CAMFED - Campaign for Female Education (@Camfed) September 15, 2020
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They recently secured a huge deal with Netflix to produce a series of documentaries and TV shows.
The couple has had a connection with CAMFED for a number of years, supporting it through their work with the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust.
The total raised will allow 113 African women to receive scholarships for higher education.
Watch: As Prince Harry turns 36, Yahoo UK looks back at some of his most memorable moments
A CAMFED statement on their website read: “Many of you supported CAMFED when the Sussex Squad called on the generosity of its members and followers during the #GlobalSussexBabyShower campaign. You honored The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’ commitment to community-led change and social justice, and celebrated the imminent arrival of baby Archie by donating to causes that The Duke and Duchess care deeply about.
“Now we are thrilled to have been chosen to benefit from your generosity as the Sussex Squad celebrate Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s birthdays.”
On International Women’s Day 2019, Meghan appeared on a panel alongside Angie Murimirwa, the Executive Director of CAMFED Africa. And when the couple was both in Africa in October 2019, Harry joined an event in Lilongwe, Malawi in person and Meghan called in via video link.
