As Prince Harry and Meghan Markle desperately try to brand themselves as a Hollywood ‘power couple’, the Prince and Princess of Wales are quietly strengthening their own ties to show business.
I can announce that Prince William and Catherine have appointed the producer of the hit BBC drama Call the Midwife as director of their Royal Foundation. Dame Pippa Harris will also become a director of the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund Trustee Company.
“This is a big deal,” a royal source told me. ‘Dame Pippa knows everyone and is an expert at getting things done.’
Dame Pippa, 56, co-founded the hugely successful film company Neal Street Productions with Oscar-winning director Sir Sam Mendes, 58. As well as creating Call the Midwife together, they have produced critically acclaimed films including Revolutionary Road, starring Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio, and most recently the 1917 First World War epic, for which they received two Bafta awards and a Golden Globe received.
Dame Pippa is also chairman of Bafta, of which Prince William is the royal patron.
Prince William and Catherine have appointed the producer of hit BBC drama Call the Midwife as director of their Royal Foundation
Dame Pippa Harris will also become a director of the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund Trustee Company
As Prince Harry and Meghan Markle desperately try to establish themselves as a ‘power couple’ in Hollywood, the Prince and Princess of Wales are quietly strengthening their own ties to show business
The Royal Foundation originally included Prince Harry and there were concerns it would suffer after he and Meghan quit in 2020. In fact, the opposite seems to have been the case.
The following year it saw a rise in revenues, reaching a whopping £11.78 million. That’s almost double the £6.68 million raised in 2019, when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were still involved. According to newly published accounts, revenues last year were £10.1m.
The foundation develops programs and initiatives based on the interests of the Prince and Princess, particularly in the areas of early childhood, mental health and the environment.
Last year, Lord (William) Haag, the former Tory leader, left politics to concentrate on his work as chairman of the Royal Foundation. He had a warm relationship with Prince William and Catherine when he was Foreign Secretary, and worked with them to combat the illegal wildlife trade. As chairman of the foundation, Haag replaced Prince George’s godfather, Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, who was William’s right-hand man for 15 years.
