Queen Elizabeth has made a personal donation to starving families in East Africa.
Queen Elizabeth
The 90-year-old royal has donated an unspecified amount to the Disasters Emergency Committee's (DEC) East Africa Crisis Appeal, which aims to help the millions of people who face starvation in the east of the continent, where around 800,000 children aged between six months and five years need life saving treatment for their severe malnutrition.
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson told the Daily Mail newspaper: "I can confirm that Her Majesty is making a personal donation to the Disasters Emergency Committee's East Africa Crisis Appeal."
The news comes after it was revealed Britain has pledged to match public donations to the cause of up to £5 million, in a bid to help the 16 million people who are "on the brink of starvation and in urgent need of food, water and medical treatment."
The website for DEC's appeal reads: "Hunger on a massive scale is looming across East Africa. If we don't act now, it will get much worse.
"Drought and conflict have left 16 million people on the brink of starvation and in urgent need of food, water and medical treatment. People are already dying in South Sudan and Somalia.
"In Kenya, the government has declared a national emergency and Ethiopia is battling a new wave of drought following the strongest El Nino on record.
"Women, children and older people are suffering the most; more than 800,000 children under five are severely malnourished. Without immediate treatment, they are at risk of starving to death.
"DEC member charities are already delivering life-saving assistance in all affected countries. But, they need more money to help reduce the scale and severity of the crisis.
"Don't delay. Donate."
It is not the first time Queen Elizabeth has personally donated to a notable cause either, as she previously made similar donations to appeals to help rebuild the lives of people affected by the earthquakes in Italy and Nepal in previous years.
Tagged in Queen Elizabeth