The royal charities of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and The Duke and Duchess of Sussex could be investigated over questionable payments if a complaint from the leading republican organisation is pursued.
The anti-monarchy group, Republic, filed a complaint with the Charity Commission over an inappropriate transfer of funds from The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to Sussex Royal, which were meant for Harry’s Travalyst initiative.
“These two charities appear to be in breach of guidelines regarding the proper use of charitable funds and may be failing in their duty to act independently and solely in the interests of their objectives,” wrote Republic campaigner Graham Smith in his complaint.
Smith questioned The Royal Foundation’s grant of £145,000 to Sussex Royal for start-up costs and a grant of £100,000 to Travalyst.
“In both instances, it appears the only rationale for the decision was the personal relationship between two patrons, the Duke of Sussex and the Duke of Cambridge,” Smith wrote.
The Royal Foundation issued a statement saying that they had followed all protocols. “The grants made to Sussex Royal were to support the charitable work of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. They were fully in line with governance requirements and were reported transparently,” a spokesperson said.
A spokesperson for Harry said: “Grants made to the non-profit organisation Travalyst are for the ongoing development of projects that will support communities, wildlife, and the environment through sustainable travel and tourism.”
The spokesperson further commented that the grants were made “impartially and objectively” and followed government guidelines.
The Sussex Royal charitable organisation was shuttered earlier this year as Harry and Meghan stepped back from their royal duties. In the spring, they announced that they would launch a new foundation, Archewell, next year.
The Charity Commission commented: “We have received a complaint on this issue. As with all concerns raised with us, we will assess the information provided to determine whether or not there is a role for the Commission. We have not made any determination of wrongdoing.”
