Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's charitable operation has been quietly scaled back to a skeletal staff as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex reassess the future of their philanthropy amid declining donations and rising costs.

According to reporting by Page Six, Archewell now operates with just two remaining employees following the departure of three staffers, a reduction that insiders say reflects financial pressure rather than a strategic reset.

One source familiar with the situation said the couple "have been forced to downsize the staff as it was costing them so much," adding that maintaining the existing structure had become untenable.

The staffing cuts come as the Sussexes prepare to relaunch the organization under a new name.

Last week, they announced that the Archewell Foundation will transition into Archewell Philanthropies, a shift they said would allow the organization to grow "with more flexibility and less administrative burden," according to People. Behind the scenes, however, sources say the couple has spent months weighing more fundamental questions about whether the charity could continue at all.

A Rebrand Amid Internal Debate

People familiar with the discussions say multiple options were considered as funding tightened.

"The big question was, would Archewell close, or would another charity take it over?" one source said. As part of those talks, Harry and Meghan explored the possibility of working with a fiscal sponsor to offset expenses and reduce overhead.

The same source characterized the public-facing rebrand as "all smoke and mirrors."

Page Six confirmed that the layoffs represent about 60% of the charity's workforce. Remaining with the organization are Executive Director James Holt, who has worked with the couple since their time as senior royals in Britain, and Vice President of Philanthropy Shauna Nep.

A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess disputed the characterization of the move as a dramatic retrenchment, saying, "Currently, the same full team remain in place," while acknowledging that "some staff redundancies are inevitable, particularly with junior admin roles."

The downsizing follows earlier belt-tightening by the couple. Earlier this year, Page Six reported that Harry and Meghan cut ties with six personal employees as they sought to reduce expenses, while continuing to shoulder a security bill estimated at about $2 million annually.

Financial Filings Fuel Skepticism

Recent tax filings have added to questions about Archewell's long-term viability. According to the organization's latest IRS Form 990 seen by the Australian News, total expenses reached $5.1 million, while donations and grants dropped sharply, from $5.3 million in 2023 to $2.1 million in 2024.

Salaries totaled $913,000, and overall expenses climbed 54% year over year, up from $3.3 million.

A large portion of that increase was categorized as "other expenses," which rose to $2.9 million from $1 million the previous year.

Some of the added costs appear tied to Harry and Meghan's international travel last year, including highly publicized trips to Nigeria and Colombia that had the feel of unofficial royal tours.

Archewell distributed $1.25 million in grants during the year, but some insiders question how sustainable that level of giving is given the organization's shrinking revenue base. "If they're shooting out grants then that's a net loss and they're not bringing in that much money," one source said.

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Prince Harry, Meghan Markle