Perez Hilton Calls Harry and Meghan's Archewell 'Hella Shady' as Rebranding Move Backfires
Despite scrutiny, the Sussexes’ spokesperson has insisted the name change is a natural evolution of their charity, but not everyone is convinced.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Archewell Foundation was intended to be their means of giving back to society after stepping away from royal duties in 2020, but the venture has significantly backfired amid mounting concerns over the charity’s finances. While several royal experts had already expressed doubts about the organization, the situation unraveled after major financial discrepancies came to light. Soon after the foundation marked its fifth anniversary, the Sussexes have announced a rebrand, renaming the organization to Archewell Philanthropies.
Despite relentless scrutiny, the Sussexes’ spokesperson has insisted the name change is a natural evolution of their charitable mission, but not everyone is convinced. Perez Hilton recently took aim at the couple on his podcast, branding them “hella shady.” He also questioned how the organization is being run and managed, especially after the couple stated, "After five beautiful years, the Archewell Foundation is becoming Archewell Philanthropies. This charitable entity allows the couple and their children to expand upon their global philanthropic endeavors as a family."
Hilton added that he would never contribute to the charity, even if he were a wealthy person. In his words, "That sounds hella shady to me. If I were a really, really rich person, I would not be donating to Archewell Philanthropies." He called out Markle and Harry for not contributing enough and leeching off others. "And here's the shadiest part. Remember, they had expenses of over $5 million. They received over $2.1 million in donations and distributed $1.25 million in grants. The math ain't mathing," he added.
According to the podcaster, Harry and Markle are rich enough to cover up the gaps in their finances. "They gave big bonuses to their employees. Once again, the math is not mathing. And they also laid off people. So, you're going to lay off three employees and give big bonuses to others. Archewell, and the rebranding is a disaster waiting to happen," he opined. All these factors and more are the contributing factors why Hilton thinks the Sussexes are being sus.
"That’s not exactly the bustling philanthropic empire the Sussexes often imply they’re running," he commented. Previously, there were reports that the charity incurred a huge loss of approximately $2.6 million. As per their financial filing, the Foundation raised around $2.7 million, while they spent around $5.2 million, which is way out of their budget. Surprisingly, the Foundation still withheld net assets totaling about $7.9 million as per their annual informational return, known as a Form 990.
However, the organization's spokesperson defended the financial variation, stating, "The $2.5million in-year difference simply reflects the Foundation drawing on existing reserves to fund impact, rather than stockpiling funds." As per them, the Foundation did not lose any money. "The Foundation did not lose money – it used previously raised funds for their intended purpose," they explained. While the debate around Archewell Philanthropies' is an ongoing battle, the experts are not sparing the foundation no matter how they try to defend themselves.
