Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to leave Royal foundation

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have confirmed their split from the Royal Foundation charity shared with Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, and Prince William.

Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, will set up their own charitable foundation later this year, the palace said, while the decade-old Royal Foundation will remain the main philanthropic vehicle for heir-to-the-throne William and Kate.

“These changes are designed to best complement the work and responsibilities of Their Royal Highnesses as they prepare for their future roles, and to better align their charitable activity with their new households,” Kensington Palace said in a statement.

It added the new charity of Harry and former actress Meghan, 37, who had their first child last month, would receive transitional operating support from The Royal Foundation.

Sources say the split is “natural progression” as Meghan Markle and Prince Harry seek more ‘flexibility’ from their charity split with Kate and William.

British newspapers have speculated for months about rifts and feuds between the brothers and their spouses and some said the decision over the Royal Foundation was another example.

William, 36, is second in line to the throne after his 70-year-old father Prince Charles, while Harry, 34, is a distant sixth.

Both couples will continue to work together on projects in the future, the palace said, including on the Royal Foundation’s mental health programme, “Heads Together”.