MEGHAN Markle and Prince Harry’s charity row has turned into a blame game with sources close to the couple insisting that US authorities failed to process their check.
The royal couple’s Archewell Foundation has been served with a delinquency notice after it apparently failed to produce records – and paid a bill.
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They were at the center of yet another controversy after it was revealed their charity had been ordered to stop donations.
But Sussex sources claimed today that the notice was actually issued because officials in California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office failed to process the $200 (£160) check.
This small fee was to pay the annual registration bill, as reported by Online Mail.
The source added that their tax returns were filed in full, in accordance with all regulations, and were widely publicized in the media in December.
The Justice Department will issue a statement later today.
It comes after the Telegraph reported that Archewell was banned from raising or spending funds until an alleged unpaid fee was released.
It was alleged that the charity was late in submitting its 2022 tax return or related costs.
Reports suggested that staff were unaware the check had been lost until the notice of default was served on May 3.
The notice to the Archewell Foundation states: “The aforementioned entity is listed as delinquent on the Register of Charities and Fundraisers for failure to submit the required annual report(s) and/or fees. renovation.
“An organization listed as delinquent is not in good standing and is prohibited from engaging in conduct for which registration is required, including the solicitation or disbursement of charitable funds.”
What does ‘delinquency’ mean?
In commercial terms, default refers to the state of delay of a debt.
- Default occurs when a borrower fails to pay a loan, which can affect their credit score.
- Default rates are used to show how many accounts in a financial institution’s portfolio are delinquent.
- When a charitable organization does not submit complete records for each fiscal year, its status on the Attorney General’s Register of Charities and Fundraising will be listed as Delinquent.
- If the default is not remedied, the Registration status will be changed to Suspended and/or Revoked.
- A charity that is not in good standing with the Register of Charities and Fundraisers will not be able to operate or receive donations.
Source; oag.ca.gov
Archewell was urged to quickly submit all necessary forms and fees “immediately” and reportedly did so – sending a second check.
The notice, from the California Department of Justice, said: “The organization may also be subject to penalties and its registration may be suspended or revoked by the Registry.
“After submitting your delinquency record(s), you will be notified of the amount of any late fees due.”
It comes after the Sussex charity last year reported it had suffered a major blow.
In December, Archwell reportedly suffered a whopping £8.7m drop in donations compared to the previous year.
It has been revealed that funds raised in 2022 have fallen to just over £1.6 million, compared to the £10.3 million that was donated in 2021.
Furthermore, just two large anonymous donors contributed £795,210 (1 million dollars) each.
The Harry and Meghan Foundation also recorded a loss of £536,357 ($674,485) due to a shortfall in donations, as income was recorded at $2 million while costs were $2.67 million.
NIGERIA ‘VICTORY’
Despite Archewell making headlines, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex released a statement that seemingly ignored the reports.
Harry and Meghan released a statement about their “unforgettable” visit to Nigeria on the Sussex website.
It read: “Prince Harry and Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, concluded their unforgettable trip to Nigeria with a cultural reception in Lagos and a fundraising polo match for Nigeria: Unconquered.”
The statement addressed a pre-game parade and a “vibrant display of young enthusiasts in polo attire.”
Royal Expert Commentary by Richard Fitzwilliams
ROYAL commentator Richard Fitzwilliams spoke to The Sun Online about the Archewell charity drama.
He said: “It was simply, without a doubt, very careless that this happened.” I think this should be clarified immediately.
“What has been reported is clearly an extremely unfortunate error, but it has given them a lot of negative publicity that they could do without.
“I mean, there’s one thing when you’re in charge of a charity: your reputation is everything.
“The fact that you apparently received a notice of default from the California Attorney General because your financial affairs are not in order is not good.
“Obviously this type of advertising is extremely careless.
“No charity wants to have this linked to this because it puts the spotlight on Archewell.
“The way Archewell has been run, there are curious things about it, because it doesn’t seem to have taken off in the way you would expect as a charity, say, run by a Listers or by members of the royal family. , what are they.
“In 2021 they raised £13 million. They have donated several millions and charitable donations.
“If you really look at the list of charities that Archewell has contributed to in various parts of the world, and for various good causes, it is impressive.
“However, in 2022 there was a drop of 11 million in donations.
“And although we should mention that they still have assets of over eight million dollars, what received a lot of publicity was the increase in top executive salaries by about 280%.
“There is now no doubt that after what could be considered a successful trip, it will be interesting to see if Archewell is actually able to fulfill its potential a little more.
“I say this because I said that of the 13 million received, 10 million came from a donor. The vast majority apparently came from two donors.
“Now, that’s not many. What you expect from celebrities and members of the royal family is much more than that, a much larger number of people involved. They don’t seem to receive many public donations.
“Archewell clearly needs a boost.
“The truth is that Archewell has not reached its potential in terms of the level of donations and the number of people involved in the donations.
“Likewise, they have about eight million dollars there, but they’re unquestionably still quite embryonic.”
They hailed the jubilant day “full of sport and spirit”.
The couple’s message concluded with an extension of their “deepest gratitude” to the welcoming Nigerian community for their “tremendous hospitality.”
The couple revealed a partnership between Archewell and non-profit organization Giants of Africa, which aims to empower young people through sport, on their trip to Nigeria.
Harry also went on a three-day trip to the African country to promote its Invictus Games for injured veterans.
He arrived with Meghan in the capital Abuja on Friday as they attended a school event highlighting mental health.
The prince also met injured Nigerian soldiers in the northwest of the country.
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This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
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