A complaint has been lodged with the Charity Commission over grants totalling £290,000 from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's Royal Foundation to Prince Harry's charities. The funds were allegedly used to set up Sussex Royal, Harry and Meghan Markle's former charity, and to support Harry's sustainable travel organisation, Travalyst.
Anti-royal campaign group Republic has urged the regulator to investigate a possible conflict of interest, arguing that the grants were based on the 'personal relationship' between the two princes rather than proper charitable purposes. Republic's chief executive, Graham Smith, noted that neither prince is a trustee of the Royal Foundation, raising questions about the independence of its trustees.
In a strongly worded response, Harry's legal team at Schillings called the allegations 'deeply offensive', stating that the duke has never had a personal financial interest in his charitable work. They described Travalyst as a non-profit organisation, despite it being listed as a private company with Harry owning at least 75% of shares according to Companies House.
The Royal Foundation defended the grants, saying they were 'fully in line with governance requirements' and transparently reported. A Charity Commission spokeswoman confirmed receipt of the complaint and said it would be assessed to determine whether further action is warranted.
