The Duchess of Sussex has paid a fitting tribute to her “dear friend” Oli Juste.
As revealed on Sussex.com, Meghan, 42, has named a new wing at her former patronage and animal rescue Mayhew Animal Home in honour of the renowned dog trainer and animal behaviourist.
The Oli Juste Wing, opened on Wednesday, was dedicated in his memory by the Duchess and provides a space for enrichment, training and therapy.
A statement on Harry and Meghan’s new website read: “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.”
Oli sadly passed away in January 2022, with Meghan saying that his death left her “heartbroken”.
The animal behaviourist was the one who introduced Meghan to Mayhew. The Duchess became patron of Mayhew, an animal shelter based in Kensal Green, North London, in January 2019.
Meghan made her first public engagement to the charity that month, when she was pregnant with Archie, but it’s understood that she has made several private visits.
The Duchess said of Oli in a letter for Mayhew in 2022: “We shared, amongst many things, a commitment to animal welfare, and a deep love of rescue dogs. In fact, it was Oli and his fiancé Rob who helped care for my rescue dog, Guy, when I had just moved to the UK and he was recovering from a debilitating accident. They loved him as though he was their own.”
Renowned animal-lover Meghan had two rescue dogs when she lived in Toronto, Guy and Bogart, who regularly featured on her now-deleted Instagram account.
Guy moved to the UK with Meghan in 2017 shortly before her engagement to Prince Harry, but Bogart, a Labrador-shepherd cross, stayed back in Canada with friends due to his old age.
The Sussexes now reside in Montecito, California with their two children, Prince Archie, four, and Princess Lilibet, two, and their three dogs, Guy, a black Labrador named Pula and a rescue beagle called Mamma Mia.
