Meghan Markle has shared a note of reflection as she grieves the loss of a close friend who died at the beginning of the year.
On April 6, the Duchess of Sussex published a note on the website of Mayhew—an animal welfare charity Meghan chose to support in 2019 as a royal patron—in honor of the death of Oli Juste, a beloved friend who introduced her to the organization.
“On January 15, 2022, my beloved friend Oli tragically and very suddenly passed away,” Meghan wrote. “It has left me, and so many others, heartbroken and reflective—knowing that the legacy he leaves for our furry friends is beautifully simple: just love them.”
Throughout her letter, Meghan explained how Oli helped her cross paths with the organization when she was exploring places to volunteer almost four years ago.
“He knew that beyond their adoption and rescue programs, their international work to keep animals safe, and their local work to find abandoned pets homes, that I would be drawn to their deep love of community, which transcended the animals themselves, and extended to the people around them,” she said. “He was right.”