William and Harry's 'Sad' Decision to Split Diana's Charity Funds Proved There Was No Going Back

The late Princess Diana was known for her charitable endeavors and her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, pledged to carry on her legacy, albeit in their separate ways. To further their philanthropic pursuits, the royal brothers agreed to divide The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund. The announcement was made in 2020 by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Sussex Royal Foundation. The move came after Harry and his wife Meghan Markle decided to step down from their roles as senior royals. According to People magazine, Harry requested that his portion of the year go to Sentebale, his HIV/AIDS charity— a project inspired by his mother’s efforts to combat AIDS.

The fund was first established to accept the enormous volume of money raised via projects and public donations after her tragic passing in 1997. Since 2013, the Royal Foundation took over the proceeds. Despite not having an active fundraising campaign for many years, the Diana Fund continued to receive funding. As per reports, it gave approximately $21,000 to the Royal Foundation in 2019. 

According to the UK Mirror, the split of funds has also been indicative of the growing rift between the brothers. "Never has a piece of paper been so important, and indeed the signatures on that piece of paper. It's just another sad reflection really of how far the brothers have split. People in the palace are saying it's one of the final documents that needed to be signed to make this a reality," royal editor, Russell Myers, said at the time while appearing on Good Morning Britain. Myers further stated, "It's a shame, isn't it? I just always think they could have done so much more together." 

After the split, Travalyst, Harry's eco-travel company, received £100,000. The Royal Foundation annual report revealed that an unrestricted grant of £145,000 was also awarded to Sussex Royal. Harry will not, however, receive any further income from the Diana fund because neither Archewell Foundation nor Travalyst is a charity registered in the UK.

Meanwhile, Prince William over the years has spearheaded his mother's most ambitious project— to do away with the stigma associated with homelessness. Through his Homewards project, he has helped folks find housing, food, and employment, according to BBC. The Prince of Wales has frequently talked about how his first visit to witness the Passage's work in central London, as a child, with his mother, opened his eyes to the world outside palaces. It familiarized him with the struggles of those without a place to call home. His projects have taken a more direct approach, with proposals to construct social housing on Duchy of Cornwall land. It seeks to help folk living on the streets with complicated social, psychological, and health requirements.