One of the things I love most about the Duchess of Sussex is that, as a royal figure, she really carved out an issue profile for herself of hunger and food insecurity. It’s one of the central issues she cares about and works on, from the Together cookbook to benefit the Hubb Community Kitchen, to her volunteer work at food banks, to her highlighting of other people who work to address food poverty. I’m sure Prince Harry cares about these issues as well, but I’m also sure that Meghan opened his eyes to what more they could do together. So… their Archewell Foundation has announced their first sponsorship, and wouldn’t you know, it’s about food.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are bringing on a new partnership for their non-profit, the Archewell foundation. On Sunday, the couple announced that Archewell would be joining forces with José Andrés and World Central Kitchen, a non-profit dedicated to feeding communities negatively impacted by natural disasters.
Harry and Meghan’s foundation will be helping World Center Kitchen build a series of Community Relief Centers, which will be activated as service kitchens during and after moments of crisis — such as natural disasters — and then can be used as food distribution hubs, schools, clinics, or safe community gathering spots for families and kids during non-disaster times.
“The health of our communities depends on our ability to connect to our shared humanity. When we think about Chef Andrés and his incredible team at World Central Kitchen, we’re reminded that even during a year of unimaginable hardship, there are so many amazing people willing — and working tirelessly — to support each other,” Meghan and Harry said in a joint statement. “World Central Kitchen inspires us through compassion in action.”
The first of the four Community Relief Center is currently being built in the Commonwealth country of Dominica, which was hit hard by Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017. It’s expected to open in 2021. Another center will be opened in Puerto Rico, where World Central Kitchen initiated a “massive-scale food security response” after Hurricane Maria. The final two center locations have yet to be announced, but Andrés and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex hope to bring even more Community Relief Centers around the world.
“This year, I’ve seen many, many examples of neighbors supporting neighbors, of communities coming together to get through tough times. At our root, we believe in one another, in doing what’s right for strangers as much as we do for our friends and family,” Andrés said in a statement. “World Central Kitchen and I, we see a world that’s full of dignity, empathy, and humanity. We believe in the healing power of food, and we like to say wherever there’s a fight so hungry people may eat, we will be there. We are more energized than ever to continue this vital work, and we’re proud that it will be hand in hand with Archewell Foundation and The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. I have come to know both of them well, and believe that their values are directly aligned with what we stand for at World Central Kitchen.”
While Meghan and Harry did not reveal how much money they are contributing to the effort, Nate Mook, CEO of World Central Kitchen, estimated to Bloomberg that each location would require an initial investment of at least $50,000.
This is extremely on-brand for the Sussexes, and the rollout was done perfectly. The idea is to put their names on something, work with respected people in established charities, highlight an issue which often does not get enough attention, and hopefully draw more donations through the Sussexes’ celebrity. They’re also funding this through Archewell. As of yet, we don’t know if corporations or private individuals have already donated to Archewell, and the Sussexes are merely distributing money and grants they’ve already received. It could be that the Sussexes have – as of yet – only put their own money into Archewell. This donation to the World Central Kitchen could be from money they’ve made from Spotify and Netflix.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, WENN, Backgrid.
Wow, I am just speechless. Go Sussexes, just go, you do you while the rest of the BRF and their minions continue to tie their “nickers”/pants into knots over the Crown.
Yes! Go Sussexes go! while the others ride the train throughout the UK and are probably responsible for London going into the Tier 4 lockdown.
This bit of news got the British press shook. Thank you BM and Rf for chasing my faves out of the country. Now they get to do meaningful work on their own terms and get international recognition while the UK Brexit themselves into oblivion.
Who else felt that the bit about having no plans to visit the center locations until after Covid was a little…well…pointed? At a certain choo choo tour?
hi
Same. Everything about this is absolutely perfect. I would give anything to be a fly on the wall in KP right now.
The fact that it’s juxtaposed right next to that inane article about Kate is 👌
Jose Andres is an extremely beloved figure in DC. It makes me so happy to see them bring much deserved attention to his charitable work!
In DC and everywhere now. They could scarcely have picked a more high profile, hard working group with which to work; they’ve been just everywhere getting meals to people who need them.
Good for them, this is great.
Jose Andres is a saint.
Exactly. So thrilled to see this partnership which bring more resources and attention to Andres.
He needs to be nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize!
@Babz — he was already nominated; just didn’t win….I am sure he will win it one day but he does not need to win it for his work to matter
@VS It’s true. THAT’s when you know someone is doing the work of angels — when you know for sure they DON’T need the Nobel Prize, their work is already recognized the world over as life-saving, soul-preserving, blessed work. A prize seems small and insignificant in comparison to what WCK is doing.
Jose Andres is proof we can all use our talents to make the world a better place; you don’t need to be an economist or missionary or politican, just a good, talented person with a desire to help. This is a great partnership for Archewell and I can’t wait to see the wonderful things they do!
Fantastic! Such a good charity to work with and some clear plans about what they want to achieve!
I agree. Compare and contrast this with the Pandemic Express we were served by Not Harry and Not Meghan. The karma express in full throttle.
Duchess Not Meghan and Duke Not Harry. This is about the best way to describe them😊
This is really cool. The posters who were over zooms & wanted tangible action should be happy. It will be great if they can visit the sites once up and safe to do so.
I love that Dominica and Puerto Rico are the first sites (representing a Commonwealth country and USA) and I would love Haiti to be one of the remaining two they fund. With the craziness going on in the U.K. due to pandemic and Brexit, U.K. may need one as well! It’s great that these sites designed for disaster relief can be multi purpose and therefore permanent.
Harry isn’t new to food insecurity- don’t forget his work with Street Games which predates relationship with Meghan. This year they’ve been delivering food to vulnerable London residents during the pandemic.
These two have certainly been busy& it’s hilarious that the rota (incl Katie nicholls with her presents story) haven’t a clue what they are up to. The leaks have largely stopped & they are working with professionals. Must be nice. Also interesting that you can see a need without a survey and do something 🤪
I would really love if one of these go to one African country most devastated by cyclones and/or mudslides.
Oh just wait, tomorrow you gonna get a VF Katie Nichol article about how some source close to the Sussexes is telling her stuff directly pulled off of Celebitchy😁😁
If tnat happens, let’s make sure we remark on it here in the comments so I can make some snide Tweets about it as well. I enjoy trolling those idiot reporters.
Exactly……..they didn’t design a survey asking if people are hungry after natural disasters…….
Royal gossipers do not report; they just write fluffy and useless stuffs about members of the RF; only a few like Scobie and Keir (more than a royal reporter) do their jobs by going beyond what they are told
This is so on par with what they have previously done that I can only say good job!
They just DID, no need to announce that they are keen to do or are about to do something or would announce soon some initiatives, etc….
Go H&M
Oh, VS —- Your opening comment says it all…..
“ Exactly……..they didn’t design a survey asking if people are hungry after natural disasters…….”
Team Sussex all the way. I love it that the Sussexes always and only roll out their charitable activities when they are up and running. Instead of endless posing; canned speeches; 15-minute drive by visits to deserving peasants or programs with hoards of sycophantic reporters; 10-year in the making 5-question child psychology 101 survey questions asking ‘what do you think I should do’; and endless choo choo trains, pussy bows, ruffles, and buttons.
The Sussexes “bring it” each and every time and there are immediate and long lasting benefits to those charities. When have the Cambridge’s truly made an impact offering monetary support or relief to any of their ‘causes’? Other than a few minute site visit or mumbled speech at an expensive luncheon or dinner, or walking a carpet into an event, or simply being a royal name on an organization’s letterhead, I got nothing. They cost money — they don’t raise money.
@Lowcountry Lady — I agree; I hope H&M continue to do work with impact…….I have to say the global coverage H&M have is impressive and I am happy to know they do harness it for useful purposes
@Lowcountry Lady, what a great comment regarding the Cambridges, “they cost money- they don’t raise money”! That needs to be the caption below all their pictures, especially when they visit Commonwealth countries!
I don’t think they’ll be doing one in Haiti. I read a few articles (looking to see if they could possibly spin this as a negative) and one went a little more in depth about World Central Kitchen. The first place the org went to was Haiti back in 2010. I could have misread though, and they did work there but didn’t build the kitchen.
I don’t think they have ANY kitchens built – that’s the point of this. What Jose Andres and WCK does now is go to places after disasters and set up temporary centers, either using tents or undamaged buildings (think large community centers, stadiums, etc.) This would give a permanent center in places that are more disaster-prone (i.e. hurricanes in the Caribbean.)
That’s always been my impression though, I could be wrong.
@Becks, that’s what it sounds like to me too, it’s a capital outlay they’ve hesitated or haven’t been able to make because so much of their resources go to direct food relief.
Note that in the US during the pandemic, WCK is feeding people all over the country while helping to support the restaurant industry by contracting with local entities to provide free meals. During disasters like the hurricanes, they work with local partners as well (including chefs), so money goes back into the local economy, and people get food in the local cuisine. It’s one reason they’re able to respond so quickly.
And – they also provided food and water for people waiting in the very long lines at polling places during the November election; they’re currently on the ground for people voting in Georgia. Not to mention, provided meals for people quarantined on the cruise ships in the early days of the Covid crisis.
(Have followed them and been donating for some time…)
Yeah maybe the next two sites will be in response to a current crisis. I just thought of Haiti as they have been hit pretty hard with natural disasters recently & can feel like they are forgotten.
I wonder how the British press will try smear Chef Andes? I saw Ann Coulter came for him recently so maybe it will be Sussexes working with woke lefties again lol.
I know they have a team& advisors but seeing how much they have set up this year along with moving and the lawsuits, you can see why Meghan’s pace might have been a lot for the KP gold plated advisors. I wonder what projects/initiatives the Sussexes may have wanted to pursue in 2018/2019 but couldn’t because of funding or overshadowing fears.
windyriver, I was going to post the same – they have been AWESOME, especially during the pandemic and the election. I love that they partner with local restaurants, giving them some business and publicity, and hopefully some new customers!
I’ve been donating to them for a while, I love that they are showing up more and more places like that. Thrilled to see H&M supporting them, and this new plan sounds great.
@ABritGuest – they have other initiatives in Haiti that developed after the initial disaster response which led to the founding of WCK. The original of this article is a few years old, but gives an idea. Believe I had also read somewhere they had projects going with farmers as well. So perhaps they have an infrastructure to call on in Haiti if required and the need isn’t as immediate.
https://www.eater.com/2017/11/10/16623204/world-central-kitchen-jose-andres-bahamas-puerto-rico-haiti-houston
Hi @lucy2 – believe I recall you commenting about them previously as well. Did you also mention Pizza for the Polls during the election? I’d never heard of them, that was also very neat!
@becks1 ok. I couldn’t really tell (I was scanning bc most of it had been read multiple times already) if they were continuing with a project or starting a new initiative to expand on their current work.
@abritguest I saw one article making sure to point out that Andres is a vocal critic of baby fists so they may try to go with “it’s a political move. “
I agree this is amazing. Go Sussexes!
I’ve been following Jose Andres work on food insecurity and it’s so wonderful. And am also based in the UK, and was sad to see UNICEF is going to start feeding hungry children in the UK because food insecurity is so bad: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/dec/16/unicef-feed-hungry-children-uk-first-time-history
I’m curious why they revealed Meghan’s latte investment prior to this World Kitchen announcement. The latte announcement seemed oddly timed. Maybe they were trying to bag X-mas sales for Clevr Blends?
In any event I love that the Sussexes are showing how they’re able to have a much greater impact outside the confines of the royal institution.
This is an interesting observation. I too thought the investment announcement clashed with (and overshadowed) the CNN Heroes spot, and in hindsight it seems it disrupted the continuity between the CNN honoring and this partnership announcement. Maybe Oprah jumped the gun?
The Spotify announcement makes sense tho, given the holiday special likely involves this new initiative. They have a lot going on! Tho it’s unfortunate their commercial endeavors get wayy more clout than the charitable ones.
I think their charitable endeavours get equal attention as their commercial ones around the world. The British press choses to focus on the commercial ones because they perceive them (wrongly) as controversial. I think Harry and Meghan have the balance right and more importantly, their privacy remains protected.
what overshadowing? people are able to follow many news at the same time……..the CNN heroes video was everywhere.
I hope H&M don’t follow the model of the RF with the overshadow BS where every news has to be announced one day at the time because otherwise people won’t pay attention to all
H&M audience is very different from the RF audience
@vs I agree. I have never understood that “only one thing can be announced on a given day” nonsense that the royal followers spout. If you watch the RF twitter and Instagram they don’t follow that rule themselves. It’s just yet another excuse to vilify M&H.
I agree @tee.
It’s not about the quantity of announcements. The latte announcement seemed out of sync with the Time heroes, Spotify, and World kitchen announcements all of which were Archewell-related. The latte investment seemed more like a personal passion project that could have waited until next year unless, as I said earlier, they wanted to capitalize on the holiday season.
I disagree, the latte announcement perfectly fits with the other announcements because 1% of the proceeds from the company’s sales goes to local food banks. Timing it during the holidays and winter makes perfect sense, I think people would be more interested in hot drinks this time of year than in the summer. The CNN Heroes spot highlighted food insecurity and people who work in that field. The Sussexes are not amateurs nor do they work with amateurs.
People have got to get out of this tired royal watcher mindset about announcements and events “overshadowing” each other. It’s very 80s. They’re not moving in the world of “slow & steady aka lazy & unproductive” anymore. Beyonce drops multiple projects and news all the time. This is 2020. People can multitask. It’s like telling a triple threat performer to just sing instead of also dancing and acting because people will be confused by their brand. Folks can watch her CNN video, admire what she had to say as a humanitarian while also admiring her business acumen and purchasing her Clevr lattes.
I always thought that ‘overshadowing’ bit was just an exuse for no one really caring or paying attention to the rf ‘important work’.
I agree, I think some people are still stuck in Royal way of doing things. That’s not how things are done in the real world.
It’s an argument which justifies the general laziness of the royals and their lack of creativity.
The Sussexes are in the US and the rules of the US media apply here. Nothing stays in the headlines for more than a day in a 24hour news cycle industry. The latte start up investment is no longer a relevant news story.
This announcement is a natural progression from the CNN heroes video, which touched on food insecurity. It exemplifies why she was the perfect person to make the video. Not only does she spotlight the good work of others, but she is also deeply involved in this philanthropic work.
Exactly. This is how things are done in 2020.I am astounded that with all the resources available to the RF, with the exception of maybe one senior royal, none of them produce anything tangible.
@Tee I agree. It’s not to say that everyone is like this — obviously we posters here see it all as part of a whole and nothing “overshadows” anything else.
But from a purely PR POV, I also think it would have made more sense to announce this before Clevr. It would have made it a lot harder for anyone to criticize Clevr if it was coming on the heels of a much larger charitable project like this.
I’m not suggesting H&M need to live their lives based around not giving the ROTA more ammunition— not at all — it just seems that in general, it would have made more sense optics-wise to announce this one first.
I don’t understand what’s wrong with the optics of making an investment. The media (British media) will criticise her for anything. Her life shouldn’t revolve around them and we need to stop placing absurd standards on her that doesn’t apply to anyone else. In any case, if you want to bury bad news quickly, you announce a good news to drown out the noise. The latter news removing the former from the news cycle, which isn’t necessary btw as neither were negative news to begin with.
Agree. They cannot operate the same way they did as royals. They have to multitask. Also, there are people who aren’t into royal stuff at all but will be interested in the Clevr brand announcement, especially since Oprah endorsed it. Also, those who are interested in what they will do with Archewell may not care at all for their commercial deals, even though those same deals will help finance the charity endeavors. I’m sure there are people who would just live to see Meghan out and about looking fabulous in fabulous clothes at some event, and those days will be very scarce in the near future. They’re still building their foundation and finding their equilibrium. They can control what they put out, but they can’t control how it will be perceived. Some things are starting to fall into place while other things are still more cloudy. I’m kind of tired of seeing everything they do reflected through the royal lens, as if what they do is a response to the royal family or overshadows this or that, or has anything to do with the Royal family . They are not related in any way, especially when you see how the royals are still working, with their formula, or think their role with the public is. I don’t know why people still expect them to do “ royal stuff” and be on the royal timeline, especially when there was pressure on them to move fast and establish themselves financially and in terms of what they will do.
Imagine being able to comment on this news without having to mention any other person! And by the way, Jose Andrés will sure be happy with this donation but he doesn’t need anybody to raise his profile. It’s the S who will benefit from being associated with him and his fantastic organization that has been running successfully for years.
To be honest, I had not heard of Jose Andres and his organization before this announcement but now I plan on making a donation.
He’s awesome so your money will be well spent!
The sussexes did real good here. Congrats to them on supporting a worthy cause and partnering with a great man!
I hadn’t heard about Chef Andres either, and this is one thing I love about following the Sussexes. I learn so much. Sounds like a fantastic, hard working organization.
I’m very aware of Chef Andres because I live in DC and can understand that others wouldn’t be as familiar with him but even before WCK raised his profile, he appeared on various late-night shows. He was also nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize last fall. I’ve seen him around DC and last year volunteered for WCK when he was feeding feds during the shutdown and for his local WCK fundraiser dine and dash. He’s like a big adorable teddy bear who is also a kick a** person who gets stuff done.
Same here Maria. I didn’t know about them, but have learned a lot from this thread. I’m going to look them up and make a donation.
Huh? @LS, what are you talking about? I have absolutely no idea who Jose Andres is or what he is about, and trust me I am absolutely not alone. If these news hadn’t broken, I wouldn’t know who he is or what he does. And honestly, its the Sussexes that gonna benefit from Jose raising their profile? 😆😆😆 This is a joke, right?
Look, no need to diss anyone its a good cause and lets leave it at that. There are times when negative snarky comments are not necessary and IMVHO, this id one of those.
No it is not. LS is absolutely correct about Andres and his profile.
He is already a Nobel nominee and will likely win within the next couple years.
Just because you don’t know doesn’t mean Andres is not well known..
Never heard of him but I’m sure he is famous just not a household name.
@Tiffany, that’s exactly my point. Just because I don’t know Andres doesn’t mean he’s not known. And just because some people know him doesn’t necessarily mean he’s THAT known, Nobel nominee or not. There’s absolutely no need to diss anyone, not Andres and certainly not the Sussexes. This is a good cause and any negativity is not warranted in any way shape or form. Please take a chill pill. There’s nothing to argue about here lets all move on.
I agree. I didn’t know who he was until I heard about the Sussexes’ teaming up with him. No need in getting passive aggressive.
Now this is shade! They’re learning to be more subtle, lol. Let me translate the mugxit for you guys.
“Imagine being able to comment on this news without having to mention any other person!”
Translation:
Please don’t compare my selfish and lazy faves to these two. And for heaven’s sake, please don’t mention that just two weeks ago during the Pandemic Express tour, they stopped at food banks empty handed, offering nothing to help stock the shelves for the hungry.
“And by the way, Jose Andrés will sure be happy with this donation but he doesn’t need anybody to raise his profile. It’s the S who will benefit from being associated with him and his fantastic organization that has been running successfully for years.”
Translation:
It’s nice that the grifters are giving him some of their Netflix money or whatever, but please don’t forget that they’re irrelevant clout chasers who need Jose Andres for publicity. He’s been running his organization successfully for years, unlike Archewell or whatever the f it’s called.
Thanks @Nyro, nuff said
Absolutely and well done @Nyro! The backhanding in @LS’s comment above is about as passive aggressive as they come.
Did those lazy effs really visit food banks empty handed? They couldn’t be arsed to bring a single bag of non perishable goods with them?
They’re all salty, bitter, and envious as hell. There’s literally no reason to make this partnership a popularity and prestige contest about who needs who btwn Mr. Andres and the Sussexes. But that’s what mugxits do and that’s how LS gave herself/himself away. It’s always about putting HM “in their place” with these clowns. The shade was almost flawless but not quite. A for effort though, hater.
Did the Cambridge tour really make stops at food banks empty handed? I hadn’t heard that, but if true that is a new low in royal entitlement.
Thank you Nyfo for pointing out the obvious. These mugzits love to show up saying things that no one is saying(like H&M are raising Jose’s profile) to attack the Sussexes and it is unfortunate that so many people fall for it. This was billed as a partnership and that is all it is. H&M like many people, including other high profile celebrities, have seen Jose’s work and want to support it going forward. Theyre not pretending to have done all the work or hiring hacks to write 50,000 articles about how “keen” the6t are to cure world hunger and how they are now experts in the field. They’re just putting their money where their mouth is like they should.
Thanks for pointing this out. @LS comment made it seem like the Sussexes hijacked Andres while he just passively stood by. He obviously saw something in them and Archewell that he liked, and maybe they reached out to him and they clicked, hence the partnership. He could have just taken their donation and moved on, but he wants them to work with him.
This Archewell partnership is more proactive than a super spreader train trip meant to put money in the pockets of low rent media and photographers. Who knows maybe one of the community center will be in the UK with UNICEF as a partner?
It’s called a partnership, a mutually beneficial relationship. Jose Andres isn’t doing this to help the Sussexes with their PR, how bizarre. He clearly wants to be involved with them to help his work. Being associated with the Sussexes opens up global attention and more doors and he clearly knows that.
Unless, I read it wrong but this isn’t a donation to Chef Andrés who, no offense, but I hadn’t heard of him until this announcement. There are many great philanthropists and Nobel winners in the world which we don’t all know about.
This, from my understanding, is a partnership between Archewell, Chef Andrés and WCF to build community relief shelters/emergency kitchens in disaster-prone areas. It’s not just for PR but part of their charity’s work.
100% agree
I just appreciate how when it comes to the Sussexes, it’s almost always about the cause and not, ahem, about THEM and how THEY are so passionate/such experts/working SO hard on said cause. That and the fact that they make an announcement when there is actually something to announce.
When you choose to “do” instead of “be”. Those who “do” want to actually feed the hungry. Those who “be” show up to a food bank with no food to give because they believe their presence is what matters.
Very well said, Nero……”choosing to do rather than be”. The Sussexes are all go instead of just show.
Also, I’m struck by how little commentary there has been about Meghan’s fashion since they left the UK. It’s so refreshing to see her actual work and her words take center stage. They really went out of their way to reduce her to nothing but a living doll. It just goes to show how shallow and basic royal reporting is.
At least one half-term a year, Harry would visit an organisation called Street Games which provided meals to children during the school break. One of his first Zoom calls was talking to some young people who were working with Street Games to distribute food during the lockdown.
But as you said this is very much on brand with the Sussexes.
This is such wonderful news and makes my heart burst with love! Harry & Meghan aren’t new to working with food insecurity initiatives either. Meghan has been volunteering in soup kitchens feeding the homeless since she was 12/13. Harry has also worked with others to help feed the homeless and most vulnerable through Street Games. Diana & Doria have raised two fantastic human beings. I applaud them for putting their words into actions and putting their money where their mouth is 👏🏼
I was thinking that Diana must be so proud of her youngest son and his wife, they are really carrying on in her spirit. She would absolutely have supported WCK if she were here, no question. I like to think she *is* supporting them through Harry.
Fantastic initiative and a great cause to partner with. I like that they’re not trying to take credit for this or act like they made it. It’s already well established, the Sussexes are just donating money in order to help this go further.
There’s already a lot of good work being done by people but they need the resources and/or attention which the Sussexes can provide
I think the three working together is a fantastic partnership. I remember Chef Andres doing such amazing work in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. As one of the other posters mentioned, I do wish they also choose Haiti as one of their next locations, but time will tell!
I love how we hear about them just doing things, and the release is about the action, not about the soon-to-be-unveiled announcement. It’s always a nice surprise to hear what other great things are coming from their camp.
This contribution is a beautiful opening statement by Harry & Meghan and lets us know right away that Archewell’s money is going to be about tangible help and not about studies that cost thousands but make no difference on the street. “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink.”
Substance and style—I appreciate that Sussex announcements are about actions, rather than mere expressions of keenness.
It’s the consistent and proven track record for me! I’ve always admired Meghan’s ability to not only imagine big ideas, but to execute. And her genuine commitment to the causes she cares about shines through every time.
It’s really hard to fathom how much they’ve accomplished within the year.
I love everything about this – how it was announced, how it was explained very matter-of-factly, the actual work they’re funding, and that its with Jose Andres and WCK. And then he says he knows them well! They are actually working together, not just sending a check (although checks are usually very welcome ), and I think its sending a strong message about how Archewell will function.
December 2021 is a pretty good month, Sussex-wise.
@Becks why 2021? Am I missing something?
LOL! no, that was wishful thinking on my part. I meant December 2020. I’m getting ahead of myself haha.
Oh okay thanks for the clarification. I was gonna start bombarding you with spill the tea, spill the tea, spill the tea, LOL😁😁😁
I agree. They’ve banged out the emotional Op Ed in the NYT, feel good investment Clevr blends, been on CNN to talk about hidden heroes, announced their Spotify deal and are now partnering on this very tangible charitable endeavor with Jose Andres in the past 4 weeks alone. They are working so hard!!
Will and Kate must be sitting on their tragic Christmas woodpile, and plotting how to thrust their children out into the limelight for more publicity.
I suspect one of Kate’s Early Years’ projects will be announced at the end of this year.
I wonder how many years of the Sussexes (and Meghan alone, before they left) rolling out these fully thought out, ready to go plans which will produce tangible, IMMEDIATE results which will improve people’s lives it will take before someone at KP realizes just how bad it looks that Kate’s press is usually an announcement about an announcement about a project that is maybe coming up sometime in the future.
Right…. I love this for them so much. I happened to be looking through some CB archives and came across coverage of an article by Sykes… and this is the kind of work that they apparently always wanted to do. Who were his sources? Or was it always so obvious the H&M want to do actual work
https://www.celebitchy.com/624194/royal_courtiers_disapprove_of_duchess_meghans_refusal_to_meet_with_trump/
Go on Duchess!!
Yes. This is very on-brand for the Sussexes. Revealing projects that have been completed or are at an advanced stage. They don’t take 10 years “learning” about world hunger and then conducting a survey to tell us that the results showed that people who don’t have food are hungry. Brilliant work!
Beyond proud of Harry and Meghan. It’s been almost a year since they announced they’d be stepping down as senior royals, and to see this partnership as Archewell’s opening gesture takes my breath away.
This is what they’ve been wanting to do all this time, and it’s the type of tangible social action needed. Not a lockdown-flouting performative Royal Train tour. Not whining about The Crown. No appeasement to courtiers, and no catering to any royal reporters. No competition, no busywork, no hassling Vogue about who gets to be the royal face of sustainable fashion. No need for hierarchy, just helpful, actual work.
I am so glad that their work is theirs and can’t be called royal work, but it’s a damn shame that they were prevented from making this royal work. And had they stayed, this would never have seen the light of day, nor is there any sort of tangible action that comes close to it in the UK. As UNICEF prepares to feed kids in the UK and Marcus Rashford has a bigger impact than all the senior royals, it’s an even bigger shame. But, I have faith Harry and Meghan are the next-level continuance of Diana’s legacy, and it’s a question of when they’ll be able to partner up with a UK organization.
And, Jose Andres is a real deal. I am hugely impressed at how they’ve partnered with WCK.
Well said, Lex. I love that they are results oriented and not just “planning” to do something tangible and never actually achieve anything. Charity needs to be beyond just skin deep to make a difference. To bad the Keens/RF have no interest in producing real results.
@Chrissy- I was always waiting for the Cambridges to develop into something like the Sussexes… then noticed that they didn’t after the wedding, six months later, and a year and more later. Later, when Heads Together (with Harry) came about, I figured was the most we could expect out of it, and it seemed so scripted. Then Meghan came along, and she churned out tangible things: the Together cookbook, the Smart Works collection. And rather than emulate those work examples, the Cambridges chased them out and amplified the smear campaign. It’s a damn shame, but it turned out for the best, because those two have been shown to not give any greater F’s than looking good in the press versus doing real good.
It must have been very frustrating for Harry and Meghan working within the Royal system. I feel really happy for them especially Harry who was held back so that William and Kate did their projects first or it would seem only allowed to do projects if he included William and Kate.
@Amy Agreed. And it makes me guess that Harry has had to “let” William behave like an albatross all this time. And as a result, we’ve never gotten to know Harry as the smart man that he is till now– and we can see how much of an ass William is for having held him back for the sake of his and Kate’s mediocrity.
I’m suprised William didn’t try to get in on Harry’s military work. It makes me wonder how William is really regarded by those he worked with and if he chooses to keep his distance somewhat.
William didn’t really conduct himself well when he was in the military. The DM published an article about William leaving supposedly to do royal engagements and then finding out he went on vacation because pap photos came out of him skiing. He loved taking jollies in military helicopters. He was so drunk and destructive at one of Harry’s ceremonies that he was kicked out of the event. When a military superior called William’s office about it, William tried to get self-righteous and claim he was sticking up for his staff who should not have been talked to by the officer. When I think the problem was floods and other RAF Anglesey RAF members were risking their lives, William was supposedly in a pub drinking with his friends.
The Sussex’s make the RF look like amateurs. THIS is how you do it. Since Harry and Meghan are getting so much praise for this, I wonder if the RF will try and attach itself to this? It wouldn’t surprise me.
Harry and Meghan have an amazing team. No leaks until everything is ready. I’m so proud of them. This partnership is incredible!
Good partnership with an great organization. The star power of Harry and Meghan should bring additional attention to World Central Kitchen(who have been doing terrific and notable work over the last few years).
For sure makes sense brand wise for the Sussex’s but also really smart because food insecurity is an enormous issue and one that will continue to grow due to climate change.
Smart move on both sides and I think that the Archwell team is already showing itself capable.
So proud of them. Chef Andres is an angel. He has done so much for so many. I’m thrilled to see Archewell partnering with WCK to address not only food insecurity in these communities, but also provide a place for the community to grow as well. Well done, Harry & Meghan!
I had the pleasure of assisting with WCK in Abaco following the hurricane last year. What an amazing man and what an amazing project he has taken on.
That’s my country they’re going to help! Yay! I have to stan even more now.
Why are my replies not being allowed?
I knew you weren’t “shading” anyone upthread, if that helps.
Same. I’m confused where the drama came from…
I totally got what you were saying as well, and was surprised by the vitriol. I am a major, major Meghan and Harry fan but I totally agree that their profile is being elevated by this partnership. Not their celebrity profile, clearly, but their charity and, quite frankly, gravitas bonafides are being elevated. I was surprised at how many people had no idea who Chef Andres is. Funny how we all assume that people we regard as superstars in our orbit are known to everyone. Anyway, he is kick ass and awesome and the real deal and this is a great initiative for both sides.
This initiative will save lives. What an impact. So, so proud of Harry and Meghan, and Chef Andres is a literal angel on this earth. Well done, all!
Doing, not giving the appearance of thinking of doing. Many blessings to Harry and Meghan.
This is amazing and wonderful and I would never expect anything less from these three people. It’s action. Not a plan. Not a keen. Not a survey. What great news for the last month of a tough year!
(BUT, I do think we must give credit where it’s due. The Duke and Duchess were clearly inspired by Kate. Kate has eaten and does eat. So, Archewell’s first partnership was clearly inspired by her for this project. /s if it’s not obvious. 😏)
Lol well apparently Kate is superior because her early years work is building something from scratch not just hopping on someone already doing the work according to her fans.
oh man that is such an embarrassing attack. This is what royals SHOULD be doing. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel* as Anne put it. Support fully functioning charities that have very clear missions and are already well-run. Yes, the Prince’s Trust is a really good thing, but not every royal has to do that. Find something that is already operational and give it money and public support.
*at the time I thought that comment was shade towards the sussexes, but as time has gone on I 100% think it was aimed at the Cambridges. The Sussexes and Anne had very different approaches to royal work, but I think Anne wasn’t bothered by that and she liked that Meghan actually worked.
How is Kate’s early years “project” built from scratch? She is just telling us what experts and moms have known FOR YEARS. Nothing ground breaking at all. They really hate that their duchess is so mediocre.
OMG. I’d like to say I’m shocked, but I’m really not. This is what Kate’s stans chose to go with? It’s not about feeding and caring for people, and helping that outreach go farther and faster. No. It’s about competition with Kate. As Baby Fists would say, sad.
*What* is built from scratch? Kate still hasn’t developed a project and we got the Broken Britain announcement in 2018. Her survey took 8 years to be developed.
Kate should really go with the palace pr and be the mom in the mansion watching beauty tutorials and taking her kids to paint pottery. The Middleton top CEO angle doesn’t work because Kate doesn’t work.
@Becks you said it all.
@Kalana how sad is it that the story about online shopping & makeup tutorials is the BETTER one for Kate to go with? JFC. The bar for her is in hell.
Kate needs to invent child psychology because she was too dumb or too lazy to have read the theories established by Maslow and Piaget that are close 80 years old and taught in first year psychology courses for the last 50 years. Her stans are also very stupid because that survey is pathetic and will do nothing to actually measure anything of value. It was purely for PR.
It is great that they are using their social power to boost someone like Andres who has already started the work on food security and they aren’t wasting time acting like they just learned about it and need to research this issue that has been around forever.
Another thing I liked, the Sussexes didn’t call this groundbreaking unlike the Embarrassing PR around Earthshot, but journalists themselves called it groundbreaking…because it is.
I don’t understand how no one at KP realizes that if they call every single thing W&K do “groundbreaking” or “landmark” or whatever, it ends up losing all meaning. Such a joke.
THIS is why I so love Jose Andres….look at his response to Ann Coulter’s insult:
Ann Coulter
“Some nut foreigner was just on MSNBC demanding that Biden appoint a “Food Czar” to solve the national hunger crisis. A dozen federal food programs is not enough!”
Jose Andres:
“I’m so proud you called me a Nut. Nuts are fruits where the ovary walls become hard so I can be Protector of my people and everyone else. Nuts like me? energy-dense,nutrient-rich, what we need to feed USA. Nuts? You right girl, “foreigners” like almonds+pistachios!
Happy holidays!”
Has Ann Coulter seen the miles long lines for food donations around the country, I’m thinking of Texas but many places. No the dozen federal food programs are not enough,
I have to say I hate this woman more than politicians. She is simply selling her brand, books and syndication. She doesn’t really believe any idiotic thing she says, she is just drumming up business.
omg thank you for typing out Andres’s response to Coulter’s idiocy!!!! HAHA!!!!
I love that response!!! Yes he is a Protector!
Tangible, practical, material service. Yes it must be Harry and Meghan. Love this.
This will be a fantastic partnership. World Central Kitchen is a class organization. Their work in Puerto Rico after the hurricane was beyond heroic. Our own government just walked away and he stayed there for a year feeding people. This is such a great partnership. Individually these two brands are stellar. Together they will be able to do amazing things. I am So excited!
I was over the moon about this! Chef Andres and his World Central Kitchen have become one of my favorite charities, and this collaboration between the Sussexes and WCK is a perfect initiative for them both. Well done, Archewell! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
What a great partnership. Kudos and all the very best to Chef Andres, Harry, Meghan and their teams for their future work together. I really love that the Sussexes have been so focused on the causes they want to pursue, and produce tangible charity work instead of keening and surveying (no disrespect to folks who do proper research methodology).
It’s quite heartening that Meghan now has a bigger platform from volunteering at soup kitchens and now this…was it her destiny that she met Harry? But never mind if you don’t believe in destiny, her work ethic remains A plus.
Also Archewell team, if you’re reading this, keep up the great work! And if you can include my other Queen Angie in a future podcast, my mind would be blown.
This is a really good first partnership with them. José Andres doesn’t have to partner with anyone who he doesn’t want to, so obviously he likes what he sees in them. He could have partnered with other chefs, or a bigger, more established philanthropic organization of his choosing. He probably saw the impact of her Hubb kitchen project with the Grenfell women. and how they are still benefiting and growing from that project 2 years later. I think they will have an active, entrepreneurial approach to the causes and organizations they work with. Not just satisfy the immediate needs, but how can it benefit the recipients long term and how to grow after they have moved on from the initial needs or problems. I also think some are surprised by the big deals, the big name partnerships. To me, those will not only generate the income and visibility, bit allow room for some mistakes, which will also be inevitable. They are not taking a low and slow approach, at least not initially. That may come later once the structure is fully in place and they can assess more. Their approach and philosophy is certainly interesting and worth watching.
So many countries suffer food insecurity so I hope others take their cue from Harry and Meghan and follow their lead.
Yes, even first world countries like the US, Singapore and the UK have food insecurity. Nobody should go hungry, especially children.
Well said @Alexandria. No one should go hungry in this day and age. I see food lines wrap around city blocks every day now. It’s unconscionable so many are going hungry this Christmas. My husband and I are giving massive donations to food banks this year. I’m so glad H&M (and of course, Andres) are working so hard on food insecurity, it’s a human rights issue.
We don’t get fluff or drama or scandal from the Sussex. We don’t get stories from their PR attacking anyone else. We just get positive results on their charity work and expansion as a brand. I. Love. Them.
And the causes they support and the way they support are wonderful! As is how they roll out their support!
” How can you benefit recipients long term and move forward after the problem is over”. Exactly this is why I believe h + M came up with using the buildings for clinics, schools, recreation centers and distribution food centers when natural disasters are over. Meghan and harry always like to make their projects and the people it help self-sustainble. Jose I believe wanted to build the centers for disasters. And the three bought it together.
OMG this has brought tears to my eyes, I am so happy they are opening a centre in Dominica, my parents’ country. It was hit so hard by the hurricane and the country is still suffering today. This makes me love Meghan and Harry more and it has also made me aware of the World Central Kitchen and Jose Andres, a big thank you! THIS is how you use your platform for good, these people are truly special.
This is so lovely, I have tears in my eyes, I love them and what they are doing.
what a wonderful thing they are doing!!
this piece made my bad day, a great day (at the end of my day) 🙂
Excellent.
I could see this project being the subject of a documentary that they produce. So excited to see the Sussexes thriving, and moving forward!
This is a wonderful charity to be involved with-There will always be earthly disasters somewhere in this world-A good use of their talents and planning-Chef Andres has done many wonderful things to help others in need-God is definitely in that man’s heart-God’s speed to everyone working to make this a better world.