MEGHAN Markle has paid tribute to her ‘beloved’ dog trainer pal Oli Juste as she opened a new wing of a London animal charity.
The Duchess of Sussex sent a personal video message in memory of the animal behaviourist to mark the naming of a new rescue wing in his honour.
The recording of the duchess was played to guests including actors Nigel Harman, Rula Lenska, Beatie Edney and Laura Aikman at the unveiling of the Oli Juste Wing at Mayhew’s centre in north London on Wednesday.
Oli died suddenly in January 2022, and Mayhew said a “generous” donation made by his “dear friend” Meghan through her Archewell Foundation, to help continue his legacy, had made the new refurbished kennels possible.
The duchess said in her message: “A heartfelt thank you to the wonderful team at Mayhew who have worked tirelessly to bring this dream to life.
“It was so important to find a way to celebrate Oli’s memory in a manner that he would have loved.
“Mayhew is a beacon of hope for those in need and a shining example of what can be achieved when we work together.”
A statement on Meghan’s sussex.com website recounted the duchess’ bond with Oli, saying: “They shared many things throughout their friendship, among which was a deep commitment to animal welfare and a love of rescue dogs.”
It added: “The Oli Juste Wing is a testament to his unwavering love and commitment to our furry friends, and will improve the lives of countless animals, reminding us all of the power of compassion, connection, and care.”
The duchess has adopted a number of rescue dogs over the years including a Guy, a beagle, and a black Labrador called Pula.
Oli and his fiance Rob helped care for Guy when Meghan moved to the UK and the dog was recovering from an accident.
Meghan wrote in 2022 that she was left “heartbroken” by Oli’s death.
It comes after Lady Colin Campbell blasted Prince Harry and Meghan for “hijacking” the Sussex name for their own good.
The former I’m a Celebrity contestant has set herself on a collision course with the duo after the launch of their new website.
The pair set up sussex.com this week using their Sussex titles in what has been branded “a betrayal” of their Megxit agreement.
Harry and Meghan, quit their royal duties back in 2020 amid simmering tensions between them and other family members.
It emerged they had rebranded their Archewell site which now redirects to their new one.
By Matt Wilkinson
MEGHAN Markle and Prince Harry are set to come under fire for using their royal coat of arms in their US-based rebrand.
The Duchess of Sussex worked closely with the College of Arms in London to create the design, Kensington Palace said at the time it was first revealed after their royal wedding in May 2018.
The crest – which harks back to their royal life despite walking away to live in the USA – has a blue shield representing the Pacific Ocean and rays symbolising sunshine of California
The lion relates to the Duke of Sussex and a songbird supporting represents Meghan.
Beneath the shield is California’s state flower the golden poppy and Wintersweet and was also depicted on the duchess’ wedding veil.
The three quills illustrate the power of words and communication.
The royal crest has barely been used by the couple before.
And a royal expert slammed the Sussexes for “cashing in” on the crest.
Angela Levin told The Sun: “They are cashing in on their royal connections that they say they hate so much.
“Queen Elizabeth II would be furious because they promised they wouldn’t do that.
“They should be stopped from using a title that they spent years insulting
“They left the Royal Family because they didn’t want anything to do with it but now realise they can use Sussex rather than Archewell.
“Four years after they left they are trying to be royal and also setting up the ‘Office’ of Prince Harry and Meghan, it is so hypocritical.
“It is pathetic, they couldn’t use SussexRoyal so they have found a way round it.”
