Meghan Markle and Prince Harry praise ‘strength of spirit’ of people affected by wildfires on Australia Day

‘You are an inspiration to us all,’ Duke and Duchess of Sussex write on Instagram

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have marked Australia Day by commending the “strength of spirit” of those affected by the bushfires ravaging Australia.

Every year, Australia Day is observed on 26 January.

The aim of the day, the website for the commemoration states, is to “reflect on what it means to be Australian, to celebrate contemporary Australia and to acknowledge [the country’s] history”.

This year, Australia Day coincides with the continual burning of catastrophic bushfires across the country, which have killed more than 30 people and an estimated one billion animals.

In a post shared on their Instagram account, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex highlighted a selection of stories that show how communities in Australia have “come together in the face of such adversity”.

“Today, on Australia Day, we recognise the strength of spirit and generosity of the community Down Under,” the Instagram post’s caption reads.

“You are an inspiration to us all.”

One of the stories included in the post is that of a six-year-old boy who has raised more than $49,000 (£37,478) for wildlife affected by the bushfires by making miniscule koala figures out of clay

Another featured news article tells of how 4,600 pounds of food and water have been dropped from helicopters in order to feed the starving wildlife.

An Instagram user praised the duke and duchess for shining a spotlight on the selection of good-hearted stories, commenting: “Loving the awareness you’re bringing to these causes!!”

Another person wrote that among the “destruction” being caused in Australia, there are “so many heroes amongst the devastation”.

It was recently reported that the burning of the wildfires in Australia are pushing global carbon dioxide levels to new highs.

Earlier this month, Meghan and Prince Harry announced their wish to step down as “senior” members of the royal family.

The prince later delivered a speech during a dinner for the Sentebale charity in which he outlined why he and the duchess chose to stand down from their royal duties.

Prince Harry said he felt there was “no other option”, explaining that their decision came after “so many months of talks after so many years of challenges”.