Lost check blamed on Harry and Meghan’s charitable mistake

The Archewell Foundation, a charity of Prince Harry and Meghan, has been classified as ‘past due’ by US authorities, after a registration check was not received.

A spokesperson for the couple said all charitable paperwork was filed on time, but the required check does not appear to have been received.

He was sent back so the problem could be “quickly resolved,” Archewell said.

Until then, Archewell is not permitted to operate as a charity.

The letter from the California Department of Justice, sent May 3, gives “notice of delinquency” to the Archewell Foundation.

It warns that the process to be included on the “register of charities and fundraisers” is not complete and as such Archewell cannot carry out charitable activities, such as “soliciting or disbursing charitable funds.

The charity, which awarded $1.2 million (£960,000) in grants last year, says a check sent with registration information was not received by California authorities, triggering the “delinquency” notice.

A spokesperson for Prince Harry and Meghan said that once Archewell was informed, a “new check was sent.”

This recording issue did not relate to tax returns, which a spokesperson said were submitted in full and paid on time.

Tax returns for 2022, released last year, showed Archewell had assets of $11 million (£9 million) and had made donations, including $100,000 (£80,000) to the Halo Trust, a landmine clearance charity once supported by Princess Diana.

Other funded projects included $200,000 (£160,000) for a “gender justice” project in Washington, $125,000 (£100,000) for a civil rights charity and $100,000 (£80,000) £) for a project promoting responsible use of technology.

Archewell was founded when Prince Harry and Meghan moved to the United States and left the royal family.

Earlier this year, the couple’s operation was overhauled, with a new website sussex.com, under the title Prince Harry and Meghan’s Office.

The couple have just completed a visit to Nigeria, following celebrations in the UK to mark the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games.