One day after reports emerged that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Archewell Foundation was issued a delinquency notice by the office of California attorney general Rob Bonta, the office announced that any issues with the charity’s status have been resolved. “After being in touch with our Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, the organization is current and in good standing,” said a spokesperson.
On Monday, Page Six was the first to report on the May 3 letter from the California Department of Justice on behalf of the Registry of Charities and Fundraisers regarding Archewell’s status. The letter stated that the foundation was “listed as delinquent” due to failure to submit required reports and annual fees. It also included language from California law indicating that “an organization that is listed as delinquent is not in good standing and is prohibited from engaging in conduct for which registration is required, including soliciting or disbursing charitable funds.”
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Archewell Foundation said that the charity followed the required processes to keep its registration current. “We have diligently investigated the situation and can confirm that the Archewell Foundation remains fully compliant and in good standing,” the statement reads. “Due payments were made promptly and in accordance with the IRS’s processes and procedures. Furthermore, all necessary paperwork had been filed by the Foundation without error or wrongdoing.”
A source close to the matter told Vanity Fair that the foundation filed its report and sent a check for the fee last fall via tracked mail. Archewell subsequently released a public-facing version of its annual report on December 12, outlining its charitable contributions, which included details about its donations to refugee resettlement projects and a preschool in South Africa.
On Tuesday, following communication from Archewell staff, the Registry of Charities and Fundraisers uploaded a new document to the public listing for the charity, signed by James Holt, the charity’s executive director, on November 15, 2023, with the electronic signature of an outside preparer dated December 5, 2023. The form has a “received” stamp from the attorney general’s office with the date May 14, 2024.
The update on the charity’s status comes days after Meghan and Harry traveled to Nigeria at the request of the country’s minister of defense for a three-day tour where they promoted the Invictus Games, the sporting event for wounded service members that the prince helped found in 2014. During their visit to Nigeria, Harry met with recently wounded soldiers, Meghan gave a speech at a mental health summit, and together the couple attended a match at the Lagos Polo Club.
More Great Stories From Vanity Fair
Live Updates From the 2024 Cannes Film Festival
Cover Star Chris Hemsworth on Fear, Love, and Escaping Hollywood
Everything to Know About the Worm That Allegedly Crawled Inside RFK Jr.’s Brain and Died
Meet the Mastermind Behind New York’s Celebrity Playground of Choice
The Vatican’s Secret Role in the Science of IVF
Griffin Dunne on the Tragic Death That Reshaped His Family
Visit the VF Shop and Get Our Brand-New Tote (and Much More)
The post Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s Charity Is in “Good Standing,” Says California’s AG Office appeared first on Vanity Fair.
