Sussex Foundation Cuts Ties with Milwaukee Muslim Women’s Group Over ‘Hateful Words’
Oh, look—royal charity drama strikes again, except this time it’s U.S.-based and involves a Muslim women’s group in Milwaukee. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s Archewell Foundation has reportedly yanked its grant from the Milwaukee Muslim Women’s Coalition, citing “hateful words” allegedly used by some coalition members. Before anyone crowns them champions of accountability, let’s unpack this with the skepticism it deserves.
According to a statement from Archewell (confirmed by People Magazine and Reuters), the foundation paused funding after internal reviews uncovered social media posts and public remarks by coalition leaders deemed intolerant toward other faiths. Archewell’s official line: they have a zero-tolerance policy for hate speech and must protect their brand integrity. Admirable? Or is it just more white-glove PR shielding the Sussexes from criticism?
Digging deeper, the Milwaukee Muslim Women’s Coalition insists they never targeted specific communities and that their words were twisted out of context (The Guardian covered their rebuttal). They argue the posts in question date back years, penned before the group even applied for Archewell support. In other words, did Archewell pre-screen for this and miss it, or did they decide after-the-fact it was easier to cut and run? Either way, it’s classic nonprofit whiplash.
Sources close to the Sussexes suggest the decision was accelerated by media pressure. When local activists tipped off reporters about the coalition’s past rhetoric, Archewell executives reportedly panicked—fearing a repeat of the backlash they faced over alleged bullying on social platforms (per an insider quoted by NBC News). If that’s true, it paints a picture of a foundation reactive rather than proactive, more concerned with optics than root causes.
Of course, there’s the bigger irony: Meghan and Harry champion social justice, yet when uncomfortable truths surface within their beneficiaries, they bail. No mediated dialogue, no constructive bridge-building—just an immediate funding freeze. Charitable giants like the Ford Foundation often engage grantees in tough conversations rather than sever ties at the first sign of trouble. Why can’t Archewell do the same?
So where does this leave Milwaukee’s Muslim women? Local organizers complain they’re scrambling to replace a significant funding source for mentorship and community outreach programs. And the women they serve? They’re caught in the crossfire of royal PR wars they never signed up for.
In the grand saga of Sussex philanthropy, this is par for the course: bold declarations, swift reversals, and plenty of headlines. What will Archewell’s next move be? Will they offer a grace period or dig in behind a statement? Stay tuned—because if past patterns hold, the next chapter is bound to be just as merry.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and People Magazine, Reuters, The Guardian, NBC News
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
