Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Archewell Foundation has claimed that the disappearance of a check in the mail is the reason it has been declared “delinquent” by a US charity regulator.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s organization is “not in good standing” according to the Registry of Charities and Fundraising Organizations in California, where the couple lives.
The registry said Archewell failed to properly file its annual report and renewal fees and has prohibited it from raising funds or distributing charitable funds for now.
But Sussex sources insist the paperwork was submitted on time, and the discrepancy is due to a “check” accompanying the documents that disappeared in the mail.
They also maintain that “a new check has been sent,” which should mean the issue will be “resolved quickly,” but the revelation will likely cause embarrassment.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the Governor’s House in Lagos State, Nigeria, on May 12
A notice of delinquency letter was sent to the Archewell Foundation on May 3 saying the charity is “characterized as delinquent” for “failure to submit required annual reports and/or renewal fees.”
An Archewell source said: ‘For the foundation, everything was submitted on time. Part of that presentation was a physical check. It appears that that check was never received, which we only learned about when this delinquency notice was posted.
“A new check has been mailed and we anticipate this will be resolved quickly and reflected in the records within seven business days.”
It comes as the couple returned yesterday from a high-profile three-day visit to Abuja and Lagos in Nigeria, which was dubbed a royal tour in all but name.
During the trip, the Sussexes announced a partnership between the Archewell Foundation and the Geanco Foundation, a charity in Nigeria that leads surgical missions, promotes maternal health and offers scholarships to young victims of terrorism.
But on May 3 the Registrar of Charities and Fundraisers sent a “notice of default” letter to Archewell saying the foundation is “classified as defaulting” for “failure to submit required annual reports and/or renewal fees.” “.
In March, Harry and Meghan congratulated computer scientist and digital activist Dr. Joy Buolamwini for winning the NAACP Archewell Foundation Digital Civil Rights Award.
Harry and Meghan also visited the Archewell Foundation’s San Antonio Welcome Project in March, which supports women who have recently moved to the United States from Afghanistan.
The letter says an organization listed as “delinquent” is prohibited from “soliciting or disbursing charitable funds” and its registration may be “suspended or revoked.”
A physical check was part of the file sent to the California Attorney General’s Office and it is understood that a new one has been sent to resolve the matter.
The letter from the California Registry of Charities and Fundraisers warns: ‘An organization listed as delinquent is not in good standing and is prohibited from engaging in conduct for which registration is required, including the solicitation or disbursement of charitable funds.
‘The organization may also be subject to sanctions and its registration may be suspended or revoked by the Registry.
“Once you submit your delinquency records, you will be notified of the amount of late fees due.”
It is understood that the foundation believes its tax returns were filed on time and a check was sent, and was only informed of any problems when the delinquency notice was published.
The foundation is separate from the couple’s Archewell media and business divisions.
Now that a new check has been posted, expect the issue to be resolved quickly and to be reflected in the records in just over a week.
The Archewell Foundation is a nonprofit organization created by Harry and Meghan when they moved to the US after stepping down as royals in 2020.
On its website, it says its mission is to “show up, do good,” adding: “We meet the moment by showing up, taking action, and using our unparalleled care to uplift and unite communities, local and global, through acts of service”. and compassion.’
The foundation is separate from the couple’s Archewell media and business divisions that have been involved in Netflix and Spotify productions.
It follows Harry and Meghan’s visit to Nigeria from Friday to Sunday to promote soldiers’ mental health and empower young people.
Harry and Meghan attend a polo fundraising event in Lagos during their tour of Nigeria on May 12.
The couple were invited to the West African nation by its military and attended events related to Harry’s Invictus Games, which Nigeria is looking to host in the future.
The couple was also received at the Lagos State Government House and met with military officials at the Defense Headquarters in Abuja.
According to tax returns revealed by Archewell last December, the organization had suffered an $11m (£9m) decline in donations in 2022 compared to the previous year.
Records showed the charity received just over $2 million (£1.6 million) in charitable donations in 2022, compared to $13 million (£10 million) in 2021.
And while in 2021 Archewell had reported revenue of more than $9m (£7m), filings from December 2023 showed that by 2022 it had posted a loss of more than $674,000 (£537,000) due to costs of $2.67m (£2.13m). ).