The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have donated food to military veterans volunteering for a charity in a deprived area of California.

Harry and Meghan marked Dr Martin Luther King Jr Day and the National Day of Service – celebrated on January 18 – by giving lunch packs to The Mission Continues at the weekend.

The couple have been supporting a number of charities in California since they stepped down as working royals in March last year and moved to America, including marking the anniversary of Diana, Princess of Wales’s death by joining a gardening session with pre-school children in September.

They said in a message to the organisation: “In honour of this day of service, and in recognition of Dr Martin Luther King Jr and all that he stood for, we want to send our thanks and gratitude to the team at The Mission Continues.

“We’re so proud of all the work you’re doing to support our community and hope you enjoy this small token of our appreciation.

“Thank you for your service – today and every day. We look forward to joining you soon!”

The charity posted the message from the Sussexes on its social media accounts and in a reply thanked the couple for their generosity.

According to its website, The Mission Continues works with military veterans “with a desire to continue their service to be part of a nationwide movement to transform communities”.

Former servicemen and women work alongside not-for-profit organisations and community leaders in deprived areas to improve educational resources, tackle food insecurity, and foster neighbourhood identity.

The organisation said in its reply posted on Sunday: “We’d like to send a huge thank you to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, along with Archewell Foundation, for fuelling the volunteers of our LA Service Platoon with lunch yesterday, so they can continue their hard work at the Compton VFW and help those living in the Compton community!

“We’re truly honoured to have their support!”