The Duke and Duchess of Sussex paid the PR company, run by the former First Lady’s press secretary, through their Archewell Organisation. They paid the company almost £90,000 ($109,800) for “strategic support for social impact PR”.
The money was sent to US political PR expert Katie McCormick Lelyveld’s company KMLSA LLV in 2021.
Ms Lelyveld served as the former First Lady’s press secretary from 2007 to 2011.
She also offered PR support to Hillary Clinton and former presidential candidate John Kerry.
The “strategic support for social impact PR” money was revealed in the tax returns for Archewell.
Harry and Meghan’s Archewell Foundation is “an impact-driven global nonprofit that puts compassion into action; uplifting and uniting communities locally and globally; online and offline,” according to its website.
After Ms Obama left the White House, the former First Lady praised Ms Lelyveld for her “intelligence, grace, quick wit, humour and friendship”.
Lelyveld’c company KMLSA company is a “global leaders turn to navigate challenges with reputational, political, philanthropic, legal and financial lenses” and boasts that it has “decades of dynamic experience with influential leaders,” the Sun reported.
A source told the Sun that the sizeable Archewell payment was not linked to Ms Lelyveld’s professional political work, but that she had been hired as an “experienced strategic adviser”.
READ MORE: Princess Beatrice broke tradition at wedding with different bouquet
Leaked tax filings from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Archewell foundation has unleashed a host of bombshell revelations.
The documents show that Harry and Meghan worked just 52 hours for the foundation in 2021. This is equivalent to working for only one hour per week.
This is despite the endeavour supposedly being one of the couple’s top priorities since stepping back from their royal duties.
The pair launched the Archewell foundation in October 2020 after the Royal Family barred them from using the name “Sussex Royal” on their commercial and charitable endeavours.
The Beverly-Hills-based organisation raised just over $13 million from donors – with $10 million coming from one exceedingly generous private benefactor.
An insider told the New York Post that reports of the couple “hardly working” failed to paint a factual “full picture” of the work being accomplished by the duo’s charity.
The tax documents also showed that the charity dished out $163,085 (£132,079) on salaries.
The couple don’t earn a salary from the foundation.
Follow our social media accounts here on facebook.com/ExpressUSNews
