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#GlobalSussexBabyShower Shows That Social Media Can Be Really Good

The British royal family has been heavily involved with global charity efforts for decades now, so it's no huge surprise that the upcoming arrival of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's first child has become the reason behind a new hashtag that aims to raise funds worldwide in a massive nonprofit effort to do good in the name of the family. The #GlobalSussexBabyShower project proves social media can be used for good... and a welcome reminder of that is useful every so often.

As Harper's Bazaar magazine reported, the hashtag came about when charities with which the Duchess of Sussex is involved started receiving donations in honor of Markle and her upcoming bundle of joy, hence the "baby shower" reference in the trending topic's name.

According to ABC's Good Morning America, the charities in question include WellChild, which aims to assist kids who are sick; Camfed, which helps girls in Africa to get more educational opportunities and Mayhew, an animal welfare organization of which Markle is a patron.

In a separate Harper's Bazaar article, it was reported that Harry and Meghan have been incredibly heartened in response to the movement to donate to positive causes using their happy news as the catalyst.

"The charities have all been in touch to share the news with Kensington Palace, who are hugely warmed by the fundraising efforts," a palace aide told the magazine. "It’s an incredibly thoughtful way to mark a special occasion."

Nonprofit Mayhew Animal Home confirmed to Romper that the hashtag fundraiser has netted over £4000 or about $5,230, with funds still arriving. Camfed confirmed a total of £15,136 or about $19,700 to date, while WellChild UK told Romper they have received about £2000 or about $2,615 worth of donations primarily from the United States and the UK as a result of the drive.

"We have been surprised and delighted by the donations from supporters of #globalsussexbabyshower its great that an online outpouring of goodwill can lead to practical help for children with serious illness and their families," WellChild Chief Executive Colin Dyer told Romper in an emailed statement. "We would like to thank all who donated for their kind support."

Harper's Bazaar added that the effort launched when Twitter user and royal family fan Elle Harris created the hashtag with a group of well-wishers to find a way to celebrate the couple's big news while also acknowledging Harry and Meghan's do-gooding efforts since their marriage.

In fact, as of January, Markle had become patron of four royal charities (one of which being Mayhew), all of which were related to causes the duchess cares about, including the arts, education, animal rights, and women's causes, as Town & Country reported.

The magazine added that two of the four patronages that were passed to Markle at the beginning of the year were causes previously championed by the Queen herself and thus near and dear to the monarch's heart, signaling to some a vote of confidence in Markle's efforts to be a hard-working part of the royal family "firm."

It also struck me, and I am sure lots of others, that it is so nice to see something associated with Markle getting only good vibes and a positive spin.

While the new duchess generally seems to have good press coverage, everything she does seems to also bring up some other issue... a grievance from her dad or half-sister, for example, or talk about whether she should have been allowed to celebrate the baby in New York City not long ago.

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Here is an example of good being done in her name, thanks to the example she has set in speeches and public engagements. Whether Markle has gotten involved with a community kitchen or discussed women's equality, she clearly has been eager since her marriage to use her personal passions to get people discussing societal progress. Which I think is totally awesome.

It's pretty exciting to imagine what good can be done in the future in the name of this fabulous mom- and dad-to-be.