Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Archewell Foundation appears to have had a bit of a mix-up. A check that was sent was not received. Because of this, the nonprofit organization has been declared delinquent by the California Registry of Charities and Fundraisers.
This delinquency means business as usual has come to a halt for the organization. It cannot solicit or spend any money. Thankfully this should be resolved in about a week. A new check has been mailed out.
This came to the attention of the organization because of a letter dated May 3, 2024. It was from Rob Bonta, the attorney general of California. He issued a delinquency notice for the Registry of Charities and Fundraisers to the Archewell Foundation. According to the notice, the foundation failed to "submit required annual report(s) and/or renewal fees."
A source told People that the foundation completed all the necessary tax paperwork. A tracking number was even used for the California filing. It was reportedly received by the attorney general's office.
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Despite this, the organization has to pause operations to sort this out. The letter explains that it may even be forced to pay a penalty. "Once you submit the delinquent record(s), you will be notified of the amount of any late fees that are owed,” the letter advised.
This story was first reported by the New York Post. Another source close to the situation told People that the new check is in the mail. Staff at Archewell are optimistic that this is only a temporary situation.
Harry and Meghan established the foundation after they stepped back from official royal duties in 2020. They still wanted to do good work, just on their own terms.
"Our mission is simple: show up, do good. We meet the moment by showing up, taking action and using our unparalleled spotlight to uplift and unite communities — local and global — through acts of service and compassion," the foundation’s website explains.
This mission statement was seen in action on the couple’s trip to Nigeria on May 10 to 12, 2024. The Nigerian chief of defense staff invited the couple for a visit. During the trip, the foundation made two important announcements. It is expanding its partnership with the GEANCO Foundation to help support young people’s mental health. The nonprofit also partnered with Giants of Africa to support youth-focused sports. This included programming to make sports accessible for all. A new adaptive court was created by the two nonprofits.
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