Meghan Markle On What Helped Her Through Being 'Forced Apart' From Family During Lockdowns

Meghan Markle has shared one of her bright spots during the COVID-19 pandemic as she reflected on 2020.

The Duchess of Sussex revealed that her pets helped her get through being "forced apart" from loved ones during the lockdowns, noting that many others could likely relate to her.

"When I reflect on 2020, I always come back to the importance of community and connection. We may have been forced apart, but we found new ways to be close and to support each other through this shared crisis," Markle wrote in her foreword for The Mayhew Foundation's annual year in review. "For many of us, this was made all the easier with our pets by our side."

She continued, "Mayhew — and thousands of small, community organizations like them — will continue to listen, adapt their services, and provide the resources that people and pets need to stay together and persevere through hardships."

Prince Harry's wife, who has been a patron of the London-based organization since 2019, went on to share her hopes for the animal welfare charity.

"As we collectively build to the future, my sincere hope is that we do so with ongoing support and appreciation for organizations like Mayhew, who continue their vital work in days of crisis and in days of calm," Markle continued. "Their commitment to the cause of animal welfare is steadfast and their effect on our community wellbeing is self-evident."

The duchess has been working with Mayhew since she became a senior working member of the royal family. The charity, which is based in London, aims to improve the lives of dogs, cats and people through a number of initiatives, such as preventative veterinary care.

Markle chose the organization as one of the charities she wanted to support as animal welfare was a cause close to her heart. In fact, Markle's dog Guy is a rescue. She took Guy with her when she moved from Canada to London before marrying Prince Harry in 2018. Guy, as well as their Labrador Pula, also came with her and Prince Harry to California, where they are now residing with their two children, Archie and baby Lili.

"As a proud rescue dog owner, I know from personal experience the joy that adopting an animal into your home can bring," Markle wrote in her 2019 foreword for Mayhew. "The role that we, as people, play in rehoming and rescuing these animals is vital, but the role of organizations such as Mayhew is unparalleled."

The Queen stripped Prince Harry and Markle of their royal patronages and his military appointments in February after they decided not to return as working royals. But Markle has remained a patron of Mayhew, as well as Smart Works, a U.K. charity that helps unemployed and vulnerable women return to the workforce.

"We're obviously delighted that the Duchess remains our patron, and we're looking forward to continuing our work helping cats, dogs and communities together," Caroline Yates, chief executive of Mayhew, was quoted by Brent & Kilburn Times as saying in March.

Yates said she wasn't sure about Markle's potential future plan and didn't want to speculate but added that they were "incredibly grateful" for her generosity over the past few years.

"Her visits to our home have been fantastic opportunities for her to meet our staff and service users and find out exactly how we make a difference, and we cannot thank her enough for the raised awareness and support that Mayhew has seen since she joined us in 2019," she said.