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Prince Harry seems to be effortlessly getting under the skin of the British Royal press. His decision to release a paperback version of his memoir Spare proves he's paying them no mind and playing the game on his own terms. Meanwhile, new information has surfaced suggesting Prince William and Kate Middleton's Royal Foundation may be at the center of a far more serious financial scandal that is not receiving nearly enough attention.
When Harry announced the paperback release of Spare, the Royal press reacted with outrage, claiming he was desperate to return to the royal family and heal rifts with his father and brother. However, Harry releasing Spare in multiple formats shows he has no intention of caving to their false narratives. All the criticism from royal commentators will only serve to further promote the book. It's clear they have no real insight into Harry's plans or relationship with the family. He has effortlessly gotten them to advertise for him while also showing he won't let them control the story.
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While Harry toys with the press, serious questions are arising about the financial dealings of William and Kate's Royal Foundation. Accounts show that between 2021-2022, the foundation raised nearly $8 million total but only donated around $558,000 to actual charitable grants - a measly 7% of funds. At the same time, they paid their staff a whopping $3.4 million, accounting for 43% of spending.
On the surface, this seems incredibly concerning. Major charities typically donate at least 75% of their funds directly to those in need. Instead, over half the money raised by the Royal Foundation is going to pay their own employees. Some have criticized this as a misuse of charitable funds to essentially bankroll the salaries and operations of the Cambridges and their staff.
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To put it in perspective, Prince Harry and Meghan's Archewell Foundation raised around $2 million in their first year and donated over $1.25 million to grants - 62% of funds. If the Royal Foundation's finances were ever revealed to beallocating such a small percentage to actual charity under Harry and Meghan's leadership, they would rightly face intense scrutiny and accusations of fraudulent behavior.
Yet few in the British press are asking difficult questions of William and Kate. Could it be that because this involves the heirs to the throne, they are giving it a free pass? Given the royals' lavish lifestyle and William's own multi-million pound income from the Duchy of Cornwall, it seems unnecessary and inappropriate to be relying so heavily on charitable donations to pay one's own staff. After all, these are not small operations - between the two foundations it amounts to over $7 million spent on employees in just two years.
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Some other questionable aspects have come to light. Money supposedly being raised to support community projects like Earthshot is instead funneling back to the Royal Foundation as profit. Donations from their American charity Friends of the Foundation also plunged by over 50% between 2021-2022 with no clear explanation. With so many royals previously facing scandals over murky financial connections worldwide, it raises legitimate concern over where exactly this money is going and what it is funding behind the scenes.
After years of Megxit criticisms, it seems the tables are now turning as more light is shed on the financial dealings of senior working royals. Prince Harry and Meghan's Archewell Foundation has proven far more transparent and altruistic with their charitable funds than their British counterparts. As the Duke and Duchess move forward on their own terms in California, free from constraints of the royal institution, it appears William and Kate back home may have some answering to do regarding mysteries surrounding their Royal Foundation.
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When over $3 million is being paid annually to staff while only a fraction of funds directly help those in need, it demands a thorough public explanation. But so far, the palace's media allies have turned a blind eye. Could it be because openly investigating the financial records of future King William may undermine the unassailable image projected of the steadfast monarchy? After generations of royal scandals involving murky offshore accounts and shady financial benefactors, the public deserves transparency from the crown.
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In the battle for truthful narratives, Prince Harry seems to be quite effectively playing the long game by paying no mind to critics and focusing on his message and mission. It remains to be seen if Prince William and Kate will face increased scrutiny over their foundation as more question their expenditures. For now, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex appear to be coming out ahead by running a far more altruistic charitable operation, all while the heir to the throne contends with new revelations raising eyebrows across his own charitable trust. A crisis is emerging that the palace likely hopes remains neatly swept under the ornate royal rug. But in today's transparent digital age, public trust demands far greater accountability from even the most powerful institutions.
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