Just before Christmas, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced that they were rebranding their Archewell Foundation. It’s not just a name change though – Archewell Philanthropies apparently represents a new way of organizing and fundraising for their philanthropic work. They’ve apparently let some foundation staffers go, and the former foundation’s chief executive James Holt has stepped down and he will be returning to England to live (he will remain a senior advisor and there’s no beef). Well, here’s another indication of how their former foundation is restructuring: The Parents Network, which the Sussexes founded in 2024, is no longer an in-house endeavor for the Sussexes or Archewell. The Parents Network is now part of ParentsTogether, although Harry and Meghan obviously retain a connection to it.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Parents Network—a major project supporting mothers and fathers who have lost a child to online harm—appears to have been quietly handed over to another organization.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex launched what was previously referred to as The Archewell Foundation Parents Network in summer 2024, giving CBS News an exclusive interview in which Harry warned of the danger social media poses to children.
However, the parents’ network has now effectively been passed over to ParentsTogether, an organization that offers resources to parents worried about the impact of digital media on their children.
Archewell has given ParentsTogether the network’s full operational capacity and structure, including systems and processes as well as brand and creative assets, Newsweek understands. Archewell has also given a cash grant to cover the network’s first year of core operations. Donations from Archewell supporters have been given to ParentsTogether and have been ring-fenced for spending on the network.
A “strategic partnership” between the two organization was originally announced in October but the subtle wording of publicity material at the time may mean some are surprised to discover there is in fact no mention of Archewell or Harry and Meghan’s role in creating the project on ParentsTogether’s publicly accessible website, where the network is now advertised via an online form. It is of course possible that parents discuss the couple’s role in their private chat rooms.
An Archewell source told Newsweek the transition “follows our established model where we incubate initiatives before transitioning them to independent, sustainable organizations—much like Invictus, Travalyst and others.”
However, it is worth noting that Harry remains patron of both Travalyst, his ecotourism initiative, and the Invictus Games, his tournament for wounded veterans, and both mention him prominently online. ParentsTogether does not list the network’s connection to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
“ParentsTogether has built trusted relationships with many of these families over years and their expertise makes them the ideal permanent home for The Parents Network,” the source continued. “We couldn’t be more excited to see these families supported and amplified in such capable hands.”
The move coincides with the couple rebranding their foundation as Archewell Philanthropies and turning it into a “fiscal sponsor,” a charitable organization that funds other charities but does not run its own programs.
For a project nurtured, developed and founded in 2024, Harry and Meghan did a lot of work on the Parents Network in a very short time, making prominent appearances on behalf of the network, giving interviews and raising awareness. Harry’s speech at the Clinton Global Initiative in 2024 was about the Parents Network as well. Meaning, they developed it into a stand-alone thing in two years, only to have it get absorbed into another organization? I get that the Sussexes are not abandoning these issues whatsoever, and I also understand that this is a very natural merger with ParentsTogether given the work of the two organizations. But it’s odd from a branding standpoint – “The Parents Network” is the brand that they built, why would it get absorbed into another group? I don’t know. It does feel like Harry and Meghan are making (and have already made) some major changes to their philanthropy. Maybe this is just about time and energy – they’re in the position where they want to do less on-the-ground work.
Photos and screencaps courtesy of Avalon Red, CBS Sunday Morning.
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- Third Annual World Mental Health Day Gala hosted by Project Healthy Minds held at Spring Studios,Image: 1044459714, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Prince Harry and Meghan Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Credit line: Udo Salters/Wenn/Avalon
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- Third Annual World Mental Health Day Gala hosted by Project Healthy Minds held at Spring Studios,Image: 1044459716, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Prince Harry and Meghan Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Credit line: Udo Salters/Wenn/Avalon
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- Third Annual World Mental Health Day Gala hosted by Project Healthy Minds held at Spring Studios,Image: 1044459735, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Prince Harry and Meghan Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Credit line: Udo Salters/Wenn/Avalon
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- Third Annual World Mental Health Day Gala hosted by Project Healthy Minds held at Spring Studios,Image: 1044459736, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Prince Harry and Meghan Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Credit line: Udo Salters/Wenn/Avalon
My opinion on this is that they want what they started to continue to move forward and by giving it to Parents Together they will be sure that it does just that move forward and continue. Seems they are comfortable with this move. Maybe they feel they have done what they can and what they set out to do and it was time to do this.
Royston fails to grasp that neither Invictus nor Travalyst merged with another, larger, organisation (with no patrons, as far as I know). And People mag makes clear that ongoing roles for the Sussexes are being explored, with no decisions made yet.
This makes perfect sense. As H&M have become more established they are learning more about where they bring the most leverage in terms of philanthropy. This incubator approach may means they invest a lot of their time and staff resources up front on new ideas and then once they have prof of concept and results, spin them off to organizations with more infrastructure, which they can fund and ultimately they build a portfolio of Archewell funded initiatives without building themselves into a sprawling bureaucracy. They seem to be experimenting with new approaches to philanthropy and are not stuck in a rut like the bunch on Salt Island.
It sounds like Harry and Meghan are moving away from creating and managing their own programmes. I don’t see a problem in their decision to give up ownership of the Parents Network. Plus again, who’s the unnamed source that Jack Royston refers to?
It’s actually a smart move for a number of reasons, not least that moving to a pure philanthropic model gives William and the royal rota fewer targets to paint as they try to destroy Harry (and Meghan’s) service work…
@Lady Esther: You make a good point here. Although the British press could also just move on to attacking the organizations that Harry and Meghan donate money to.
I’ve seen Charitable Trusts/Foundations (Canadian) owned by people with net worths of $100M or more. H&M were doing too much.
What I saw were paper “companies” that used existing corporate staff, with their lawyers and accountants doing most of the work, and the couples (owners) just donating, writing cheques, and showing up at fundraising dinners. Same publicity, very little overhead. I think H&M copied the Royal Foundation model and realized that’s why the RF gave away so little money. It wasn’t sustainable.
I 100% agree. Going forward I think Harry’s recent visit to the Uk will be the model. Find organizations already doing great work and give them money (and publicity). They don’t need to reinvent the wheel to be impactful.
@Tina I agree, I remember Harry saying last year that he wouldn’t be starting any new charities. I think the new model is maximum impact, more labour and time efficient. I actually think it’s good they are moving away from the Royal Foundation model which involves a large staff and loads of money but very small grant giving and low impact.
I agree. Also, this means less bandwidth. They have a chance to build something with As Ever. The success of which can fund so many causes they care about. Their energy and resources need to be there.
This makes complete sense,
I think the success of As Ever plays a part in this. It’s a business that’s intensely personal and needs hands-on management – nobody else can do it. H&M passionately believe in the mission of Parents Network, but so do others who already have an established infrastructure.