For months, we've been speculating about what's next for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Since the couple began their split from projects with the Cambridges, we've been awaiting something that is uniquely Harry and Meghan. The couple is preparing to deliver just that, with the announcement of the name of their new foundation.
The Telegraph reported that Harry and Meghan had filed paperwork to create a "non-profit empire" under the name Archewell. As that news circulated, Harry and Meghan released a statement offering an explanation of the nonprofit's name and vision. The couple also make it clear that it wasn't their intention to share this information at this time. They sought to be sensitive to the current global situation and didn't plan to announce it until things were in a better place.
It's far from the first time that a press leak has forced Harry and Meghan's hands. A leak in January led to Harry and Meghan stepping down as senior royals earlier than anticipated.
On Monday, The Telegraph revealed some never-before-heard information on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's new foundation. The foundation has been the project everyone has waited on since the couple announced they were stepping down as senior royals.
"According to paperwork filed in the United States last month, the couple are considering how to create their own charity and volunteering services, wide-ranging website, and sharing 'education and training materials' via films, podcasts, and books," the newspaper revealed.
As the information came out, Harry and Meghan released a statement offering further explanation. The statement makes it clear the couple has put a lot of thought into the project.
"Faced with this information coming to light, we felt compelled to share the story of how this came to be," the statement reads.
"Before SussexRoyal came the idea of ‘Arche’ – the Greek word meaning ‘source of action’. We connected to this concept for the charitable organization we hoped to build one day, and it became the inspiration for our son’s name."
"To do something of meaning, to do something that matters," the statement continues.
"Archewell is a name that combines an ancient word for strength and action, and another that evokes the deep resources we each must draw upon. We look forward to launching Archewell when the time is right."
The organization is very much still a work in progress. Harry and Meghan have spent recent months putting research into the different ways this organization will help people. In February, the couple visited the campus of Stanford University to talk with professors there.
The latest information is the first released by the couple since stepping down as senior royals. They bid farewell to fans on their @sussexroyal Instagram account on March 31.
"As we can all feel, the world at this moment seems extraordinarily fragile. Yet we are confident that every human being has the potential and opportunity to make a difference—as seen now across the globe, in our families, our communities and those on the front line—together we can lift each other up to realize the fullness of that promise," they wrote.
"As we all find the part we are to play in this global shift and changing of habits, we are focusing this new chapter to understand how we can best contribute," Harry and Meghan noted.
"While you may not see us here, the work continues." The couple also thanked fans for their love and support.
"Thank you to this community – for the support, the inspiration and the shared commitment to the good in the world," they added. "We look forward to reconnecting with you soon. You’ve been great! Until then, please take good care of yourselves, and of one another."
There may also be an Instagram account in the works for Archewell. One account, Archewell Global, has reposted a number of posts from major organizations including Global Fund, the United Nations, and more. The account's first post came on February 23, months before the name leak.
The uncertain state of the world is getting to a lot of people right now. While many have argued that this was a bad time for the couple to separate themselves from the royal family, Meghan and Harry are confident in their abilities. Sources close to the couple have told People magazine they "are positive about the future."
"It is exciting for them to mark the end of the transition and the official start of their new chapter," the source notes.
Meghan and Harry will have the world watching as they pursue Archewell and other endeavors. The couple isn't known for aiming to please, but they are genuinely committed to their causes and doing what's right for the global community.
