28 July 2020

Harry and Meghan’s Sussex Royal foundation in formal solvent liquidation

28 July 2020

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s foundation is now officially in the process of solvent liquidation, records show.

Documents being dealt with by Companies House on Tuesday include a declaration of solvency and the appointment of a voluntary liquidator for the Sussex Royal charitable body.

Harry and Meghan are formally winding up their UK foundation as they press ahead with their global charitable body Archewell – a name inspired by their son Archie.

The final stage in Sussex Royal’s closure begins amid the fallout from the Finding Freedom biography, which has exposed the resentment and mistrust that led to Harry and Meghan quitting as working royals.

The royal family (PA Wire)

Harry’s anger at what he perceived to be his brother’s “snobbish” attitude to Meghan, Kate’s alleged snubbing of her sister-in-law at the Sussexes’ final engagement, and the couple’s frustration at having to take a back seat to more senior members of the family have all featured in the serialisation in The Times and Sunday Times.

The Sussexes walked away from the monarchy in March – a move dubbed Megxit – and are now living in Los Angeles.

The Queen and her officials declared the couple had to stop using the word “Royal” in their Sussex Royal brand after they stepped down as senior royals.

The declaration of solvency and other documents were filed at the start of July, but listed as being processed by Companies House for the first time on July 28.

Last week, Republic, which campaigns for an elected head of state, reported the Sussexes and the Cambridges’ foundations to the Charity Commission for alleged “inappropriate use of charitable funds, conflicts of interest and lack of independence”.

The claims were made after Sussex Royal received a six-figure grant from William and Kate’s foundation.

Harry’s fledgling not-for-profit sustainable travel organisation Travalyst also received funds from the Cambridges’ foundation, and it has received the assets of Sussex Royal.

His lawyers are to formally write to Republic to contest its claims and said the duke’s charity work was “his life’s focus” and the allegations were “deeply offensive”.

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