Royal charity split: Duke and Duchess of Sussex to leave Royal Foundation

When four young members of the royal family appeared on stage to launch their vision for a shared working future, they spoke passionately about the power of collaboration and joked that they were “stuck together for the rest of our lives”.

Just 16 months on, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Duke and Duchess of Sussex have announced they are to go their separate ways, in the latest stage of a comprehensive split.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are to formally leave the charity set up by Prince William and Harry a decade ago, it has been confirmed, under plans which will see them found a new project with “global outreach”.

The couple will establish their own charity before the end of this year, with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge taking control of the existing Royal Foundation.

The Royal Foundation has issued a statement setting out their very separate plans for the future, after a review into how the couples officially work together on what has been described as the “divergent paths” of their future lives.

A royal source emphasised that the two charities were the beginning of a “very ambitious and exciting time” for both couples, who will still join forces for some projects including Heads Together.

The announcement will inspire further speculation about the extent of a rift between the Cambridges and the Sussexes, with their different styles of work, ambition, and future roles already leaving them in separate households.

The Sussexes are expected to announce details of a new charity foundation before the end of this year.

Royal sources did not rule out plans for developing fundraising and projects in the Duchess’ homeland of the United States, saying their charity work would naturally have “global outreach” and pointing to the Duke’s upcoming partnership with Apple on an Oprah Winfrey documentary.

The couple will continue to receive "operational support" - staff - from the existing Foundation structure as they set out on their own.

For now, all funds raised for the Royal Foundation will stay with the umbrella charity, as will all existing projects in the interim.

Restricted funds assigned to particular projects, likely to include the Hubb Community kitchen and Endeavour Fund, are due to "follow the trajectory" of that programme, expected to eventually transfer to the Sussexes.

A “small number” of posts within the current Foundation are at risk of redundancy, with major future changes to be undertaken with oversight from the Charity Commission.

The announcement comes at the end of a formal review of the charity’s structure, prompted by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s household moved from Kensington Palace to Buckingham Palace.

The decision was confirmed in a trustee meeting on Wednesday, attended by Prince William and Prince Harry. Sources pointed towards the "divergent paths" of the two brothers, with one destined to become Prince of Wales and then King, while the other has more freedom to forge his own working life.

The Foundation was created in 2009 by Prince William and Harry, changing its name and expanding its ambitions as Kate Middleton and then Meghan Markle married into the family.

Since 2018, it has been known as The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and The Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

In February that year, the four in-laws appeared together on stage to sell their vision of “working together” as Meghan Markle joined the three existing patrons, saying: "When we work together, we can achieve incredible things."

Critics will fear that two separate royal foundations in the young generation will come to be seen as rivals, competing for funds and publicity over shared areas of interest such as mental health, young people, military service and conservation.

A spokesman said both couples are “incredibly proud of what they have achieved together through The Royal Foundation”.

"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,” he added.