Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been spotted arriving in Los Angeles after a marathon 18-hour flight from Nigeria amid a row over their charity’s operating status in California.
The couple, who left Abuja yesterday following a three-day visit, were pictured being whisked away by a car at Los Angeles International Airport’s ‘Private Suites’ facility. The Duke and Duchess have called the semi-royal tour ‘fantastic’ and said it will be the ‘first of many memorable trips’ – which included a moment where Meghan hailed Nigeria as ‘her country’ after a DNA test suggested she was part-Nigerian.
They landed back in the United States a few hours before Californian authorities confirmed a ‘delinquency’ row involving their charitable endeavour, the Archewell Foundation, had been resolved following confusion over an unprocessed cheque. California’s Department of Justice listed the charity, which brought in around $9million (£7.1million) less in donations in 2022 than it did the year before, as ‘not in good standing’ because of an alleged failure to pay a $200 renewal fee.
Meghan hopped into a waiting SUV wearing a brown coat, matching pumps and white trousers while Harry wore understated dark trousers and a dark jacket paired with a green shirt. There have been eight press releases on Sussex.com about the couple’s visit to Nigeria, which took them to Abuja and Lagos and ran last week from Friday until Sunday. None mentioned the issues with the Archewell foundation.
In a press release about their trip coming to end, the Sussexes referred to the reception they received in Lagos and their attendance at a polo match. The statement said: ‘Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex concluded their unforgettable trip to Nigeria with a cultural reception in Lagos and a polo match fundraiser for Nigeria: Unconquered.
‘The couple was greeted with a beautiful pre-game parade – a vibrant display of young enthusiasts in polo gear, proudly waving the green and white flags of Nigeria – followed by a procession of older children on horseback, setting the tone for a day filled with sport and spirit.
‘The friendly rivalry between the teams, aptly named Duke vs Duchess, added a layer of excitement to the event, with the Duchess’s team claiming victory with a score of 5-3. The day was capped off with the couple presenting medals, a gesture of appreciation for the players’ prolific talent and dedication.
‘The Duke and Duchess would like to extend their deepest gratitude to all the event organisers, military officials and the whole Nigerian community for their tremendous hospitality and the first of many memorable trips.’ But as they landed, Archewell was involved in a row over its charitable status after it was accused of failing to send a $200 renewal fee cheque to California’s Registry of Charities and Fundraisers.
The registry said Archewell had failed to submit its annual report or renewal fees, while sources close to the Sussexes insisted it was because the Attorney General’s office did not process a $200 cheque they previously thought lost in the post.
Since then, the charity says it has been in touch with California’s Department of Justice (DoJ), which operates the registry, to clear up the confusion. The DoJ says it considers the matter closed and that, as of now, the Archewell Foundation is ‘current and in good standing’ with Californian authorities.
