Sussexes face public rebuke after cutting ties with Muslim-led organisation
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have issued a public statement in an apparent effort to contain reputational fallout after their Archewell Foundation faced strong criticism for severing ties with a Muslim charity.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who established Archewell after stepping down as senior working royals, announced earlier this week that they would be ending support for the Muslim Women’s Coalition (MWC). The decision, reportedly prompted by an opinion piece written by MWC founder Janan Najeeb, quickly sparked a fierce reaction.
In a strongly worded response on Thursday, Najeeb said she was “deeply disappointed” with Archewell’s move, calling it a “painful irony” that funding was pulled after “the leader of a women’s organisation dared to speak out against the creation of more war survivors.”
Najeeb accused the foundation of issuing defamatory statements and demanded a public apology—not for her organisation’s sake, but to “salvage” Archewell’s own image. “Our reputation remains pristine,” she wrote, while reaffirming MWC’s continued support from credible donors and diverse interfaith staff.
Faced with mounting criticism, Archewell responded the following day through its executive directors. In a statement made on behalf of Harry and Meghan, the foundation said the decision had been made “out of respect for all of our partners, a responsibility to our donors, and in reflecting the values of our Principals.”
The foundation also reiterated its commitment to working with Muslim-led organisations and refugee-focused programmes, in what many viewed as an effort to repair public perception following the backlash.
