Prince Harry and Meghan Markle wrote messages of support to recovering addicts at a rehabilitation centre today during the second day of their quasi-royal tour of Jordan.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex joined a World Health Organisation (WHO) team as they spoke to patients at Amman’s National Centre for Rehabilitation of Addicts.
Promoting mental health support is one of the themes of their visit, and the couple both wrote notes on a wall in an attempt to encourage those receiving treatment.
Meghan’s note written on orange paper said: ‘Congratulations on your dedication to your care. Wishing you continued healing and happiness.’
And Harry wrote on a yellow note: ‘It’s OK to not be OK. Trust each other. Congratulations on your recovery. Now share your courage and experience.’
The centre, operating under Jordan’s ministry of health’s national centre for mental health, has a 40-bed capacity and was inaugurated in 2001.
It has served as a short-term residential and outpatient treatment centre, offering medical withdrawal services, psychological support and social counselling.
Earlier today, the couple visited a worldwide organisation feeding people in moments of crisis.
Meghan writes a message at the National Centre for Rehabilitation of Addicts in Amman today
Prince Harry and Meghan at the National Centre for Rehabilitation of Addicts in Amman today
Harry’s message of support at Amman’s National Centre for Rehabilitation of Addicts today
The Duchess of Sussex visits the National Centre for Rehabilitation of Addicts in Amman today
Meghan’s message of support at Amman’s National Centre for Rehabilitation of Addicts today
Harry writes a message of support at the National Centre for Rehabilitation of Addicts today
Prince Harry meets a man at the National Centre for Rehabilitation of Addicts in Amman today
The Sussexes travelled to the World Central Kitchen’s regional headquarters where it coordinates and deploys a million hot meals across Gaza daily.
The organisation was founded by celebrity chef Jose Andres, a staunch supporter of the couple and appeared on the second season of Meghan’s Netflix cookery show.
Established in 2010, World Central Kitchen uses a network of field and community kitchens, bakeries and partners to enable almost half of Gaza’s population to be fed.
Harry and Meghan chatted via video call with a distribution leader at one of the organisation’s six field kitchens in Gaza.
Wadhah Hubaishi, the organisation’s response director for the Middle East and North Africa, told the couple that ochre and rice was the meal for today.
He said: ‘This is one of our most delicious meals for the Gaza people. Within two hours, we will start distributing the food.’
‘We need 20 trucks (of supplies) every day from Egypt, not enough trucks are coming in, that really affects us more than any other actor.’
Mr Hubaishi said their mantra was ‘food with smiles’ provided by Gazans for Gazans and highlighted the need for food by telling the couple the touching story of a boy who had never seen a banana.
Meghan writes a message of support at the National Centre for Rehabilitation of Addicts today
Prince Harry and Meghan at the National Centre for Rehabilitation of Addicts in Amman today
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the National Centre for Rehabilitation of Addicts today
Harry writes a message at the National Centre for Rehabilitation of Addicts in Amman today
The Duchess of Sussex visits the National Centre for Rehabilitation of Addicts in Amman today
Prince Harry meets a man at the National Centre for Rehabilitation of Addicts in Amman today
Meghan writes a message at the National Centre for Rehabilitation of Addicts in Amman today
Prince Harry and Meghan at the National Centre for Rehabilitation of Addicts in Amman today
A ring worn by the Duchess during a visit to the National Centre for Rehabilitation of Addicts
Messages of support at the National Centre for Rehabilitation of Addicts in Amman today
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the National Centre for Rehabilitation of Addicts today
Prince Harry and Meghan at the National Centre for Rehabilitation of Addicts in Amman today
The Duchess of Sussex visits the National Centre for Rehabilitation of Addicts in Amman today
Prince Harry and Meghan at the National Centre for Rehabilitation of Addicts in Amman today
The Duchess of Sussex visits the National Centre for Rehabilitation of Addicts in Amman today
Prince Harry and Meghan at the National Centre for Rehabilitation of Addicts in Amman today
The Duchess of Sussex visits the National Centre for Rehabilitation of Addicts in Amman today
Prince Harry and Meghan at the National Centre for Rehabilitation of Addicts in Amman today
Prince Harry meets a man at the National Centre for Rehabilitation of Addicts in Amman today
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the National Centre for Rehabilitation of Addicts today
The Duchess of Sussex visits the National Centre for Rehabilitation of Addicts in Amman today
Prince Harry meets a man at the National Centre for Rehabilitation of Addicts in Amman today
The Duke of Sussex visits the National Centre for Rehabilitation of Addicts in Amman today
‘A three-year-old ate a banana and asked his father ‘can I eat the peel’,’ he said.
The Sussexes got more of an insight when distribution manager Shadi Raed made a video call to the couple and held up his phone to show them huge pots cooking the day’s meal and a neighbouring warehouse.
The Sussexes have travelled to Jordan this week at the invitation of the WHO’s director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesu.
They are learning more about humanitarian work to support health and wellbeing of Syrians and Palestinians who have sought sanctuary in Jordan over many decades.
During their final day in Jordan, the Sussexes will also visit female leaders at the Jordanian Hashemite fund for human development, an organisation known as a pioneer in sustainable human development, and tour the King Hussein cancer centre.
Buckingham Palace officials are understood to have been informed in advance of the couple’s visit to Jordan – one of Prince William and Kate’s favourite countries.
Yesterday, Harry and Meghan joined girls for a football session at the Za’atari refugee camp where thousands of Syrians have sought sanctuary. Meghan was left with bragging rights after she scored a penalty, while her husband’s shot was saved.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the World Central Kitchen Food in Amman, Jordan, today
Harry and Meghan at the World Central Kitchen today which feeds people in moments of crisis
Meghan Markle at the World Central Kitchen’s regional headquarters in Jordan today
Prince Harry and Meghan visit the World Central Kitchen at its Jordan country office today
Harry and Meghan at the World Central Kitchen today which feeds people in moments of crisis
Meghan Markle at the World Central Kitchen’s regional headquarters in Jordan today
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the World Central Kitchen Food in Amman, Jordan, today
Prince Harry at the World Central Kitchen’s regional headquarters in Jordan today
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the World Central Kitchen Food in Amman, Jordan, today
Meghan Markle at the World Central Kitchen’s regional headquarters in Jordan today
Prince Harry and Meghan visit the World Central Kitchen at its Jordan country office today
Prince Harry at the World Central Kitchen’s regional headquarters in Jordan today
Prince Harry and Meghan visit the World Central Kitchen at its Jordan country office today
Meghan Markle at the World Central Kitchen’s regional headquarters in Jordan today
Harry and Meghan at the World Central Kitchen today which feeds people in moments of crisis
Prince Harry at the World Central Kitchen’s regional headquarters in Jordan today
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the World Central Kitchen Food in Amman, Jordan, today
Harry and Meghan at the World Central Kitchen today which feeds people in moments of crisis
Later the couple visited the Specialty Hospital in Amman. Children injured in Gaza have been treated there, and Meghan appeared emotional as she met Jaber, 17, who was shot in the legs, saying: ‘I’m so glad you’re getting the treatment that you need.’
Philip Hall, British Ambassador to Jordan, thanked the Sussexes for travelling to the Middle East, saying: ‘I would simply say thank you very much indeed for coming.
‘Your visit, your support, your appreciation of the efforts that the United Nations, including of course, the World Health Organisation, the government of Jordan and others, are making here is enormously appreciated. So thank you for coming.’
Jordan has received wave after wave of refugees beginning with Palestinians more than 80 years ago, who now number around 2.5million people, and Syrians who fled conflict in their country until recently ruled by President Bashar al-Assad.
The latest wave of displaced people has flowed from the Israeli government’s Gaza war against Hamas, launched after Hamas atrocities during the October 7 attacks.
The trip comes just a week after Harry’s uncle Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s was arrested in Norfolk last Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
This followed claims Andrew shared sensitive information with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein during his time as the UK’s trade envoy. He has always denied wrongdoing.
