Prince Harry and Prince William, allegedly, misused charity funds when they diverted money from one foundation to another. A campaign group known as the Republic said that they have reported the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, as well as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, to the Charity Commission for "inappropriate use of charitable funds," as well as conflicts of interest.
Graham Smith, the chief executive of the Republic, took issue with a financial report, stating that The Royal Foundation, under Prince William and Kate Middleton, granted $184,000 (£145,000) to the Sussex Royal Foundation, under Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, and $183,000 (£144,901) to Travalyst, a non-charitable organization with links to Prince Harry.
Smith, reportedly, wrote in his complaint that the grants were made due to the "personal relationship" between Prince Harry and Prince William. Smith also questioned the lack of independence of the trustees to authorize such a transfer, when Prince Harry and Prince William are not The Royal Foundation trustees.
The Republic chief also brought up the fact that the Sussex Royal Foundation has been shut down by Prince Harry and Meghan. To Smith, it looked like the couple took the grant money for their own use.
But, a spokesperson for Prince Harry said that the accusations and claims are false and salacious. Apparently, the Duke of Sussex believes the Republic and Smith's move against him and his brother is deeply offensive, defamatory and insulting to the organizations and people involved, not just to Prince Harry and Prince William.
Lawyers for Prince Harry also said the duke has not shown any personal interest in the charitable funds. His work in charities since he became a significant member of the royal family hs also been transparent.
A spokesperson for The Royal Foundation, on the other hand, clarified that the grants given to the Sussex Royal Foundation were compliant with any government requirements. These were also transparent and clearly accounted for.
The grants given to Travalyst, on the other hand, are coursed through ongoing projects that support communities and the environment. None of it is for the own interest of Prince Harry, the legal teams said.
Prince Harry has since cut ties with The Royal Foundation while forming his new charity, Archewell, with his wife. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, however, have yet to formally launch their new organization but their plans have been pushed back due to the coronavirus pandemic.
