Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle dove right into the world of entrepreneurship when they stepped away from their royal roles and they have been busy especially with media projects. They signed a deal with Netflix to produce documentaries, films and shows that will highlight issues they care about, such as mental health, veterans and the environment. Meghan Markle also launched a podcast, called Archewell Audio, where they interviewed inspiring guests and shared their personal stories. Harry has said that he wants to use his platform to amplify voices that are often ignored or silenced by the mainstream media.
His first podcast episode with Meghan Markle on Spotify got mixed reviews and didn’t make it to the top 100 list in the U.K. or the U.S. It was not renewed for a second season.
His mental health docuseries with Oprah Winfrey on Apple TV+ was praised by some critics and viewers, but also faced backlash from royal fans and experts who accused him of bashing his family and exploiting his trauma. Eventually it created a hostility that has affected his other projects.
His memoir, which came out in 2023, turned out to be a flash in the pan, making headlines upon release and then dying down almost immediately, leaving much acrimony in its wake as once again, he aired the Royal Family’s dirty laundry in public and certainly did not spare his brother, the future king, above all.
Now Harry and Meghan’s charitable organization, the Archewell Foundation, has suffered an $11 million decline in donations in 2022 compared to the prior year.
The foundation, started two years ago by the Sussexes to “uplift and unite communities, both local and global, online and offline,” according to its website, disclosed in a tax filing on Tuesday that the non-profit organization received just over $2 million in charitable contributions in 2022, compared to $13 million in 2021.
Archewell’s total expenses also exceeded its revenue last year, leaving it in the red by more than $674,000, according to the public filing. Its revenue in 2021 had exceeded $9 million.
The foundation’s current initiatives include The Welcome Project, launched in 2023, to help recently resettled Afghan women build community through activities like sewing and hiking. It also focuses on mental health initiatives, including supporting individuals in Turkey and Syria affected by earthquakes.
Overall contributions to nonprofit organizations fell more than 10% in 2022, according to the Chronicle of Philanthropy, citing estimates from Giving USA. Donations by individuals, which make up the lion’s share of giving to nonprofits, fell an ever steeper 13.4% amid sharply higher inflation and a decline in staffing at charitable groups.
But the Sussexes’ enormous drop in donations to their Foundation does not bode well for its future health.
