Did the IRS expose Prince Harry and Meghan Markle as faux philanthropists? One tabloid claims the couple is embroiled in yet another charity scandal. Here’s the latest gossip about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
This week’s edition of the National Enquirer reports Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s charity work is under scrutiny once again — and this time it’s the IRS doing the digging. Apparently, the couple spent more money this year on their expensive lawyers than they did in charity donations.
“They’ve had such grand ideas but never deliver — and now find themselves in the middle of yet another scandal, this one involving their charities,” a “former fan” spat. “They’re the ultimate hypocrites.”
According to the IRS, the Sussexes raised a meager $50,000 for their Archewell charity but had no issue forking over $55,000 on their attorneys. “The launch of Archewell made world headlines,” an insider dishes. “Everyone expected money to pour in, but Harry and Meghan’s popularity plummeted after they accused the royal family of racism.
People apparently didn’t buy into their high-and-mighty plan to save the world. Even their A-list Hollywood friends backed away.” While the tabloid’s criticism is valid, there’s some important context worth adding. First of all, at the start of 2020, Harry and Markle were busy dissolving their Sussex Royal foundation.
This is where a great portion of their legal fees went. Then the couple didn’t officially set up their Archewell foundation until April of 2020. The charity didn’t become tax-exempt until October of 2020, and it didn’t set up its official bank account until January of 2021. For all of these reasons, it’s no surprise that the foundation didn’t see large donations in 2020.
In fact, it might be more appropriate to criticize the Sussexes for presenting themselves as philanthropists months before Archewell was a fully-functioning charity. All we can say now is that we hope the couple raised more money for charitable causes in 2021.
We’re hesitant to give the National Enquirer too much credit since it often gets the facts wrong wherever the Sussexes are concerned. Last year, the magazine claimed the Sussexes planned on selling out Prince Andrew as the “ultimate revenge” on the royal family.
Then the outlet reported Markle was “off the rails” after being “laughed out of Hollywood.” And more recently, the publication alleged Harry and Markle were gloating over Prince Charles after he was accused of making racist comments. Clearly, the Enquirer has a glaring bias against the Sussexes.