Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have officially closed Sussex Royal in a new symbolic move away from palace life.
© Karwai Tang / Getty
Prince Harry and Meghan Meghan arrive at the New Zealand House, in London, to sign the condolence book after a terror attack that saw at least 50 people killed in a mosque in Christchurch on March 19, 2019.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex told them that they could not use the word “royal” in their brand of Queen Elizabeth II while negotiating their separation from the institution of the monarchy.
Now, finally, they officially unveiled the documents to dissolve the charity and its related company in the UK in a symbolic commitment to their decision to resign as high-ranking members of working royalty.
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The main project linked to the organization was Travalyst, its ecotourism scheme, which has now been independently established to help tourism survive the pandemic.
The time comes in the same week that Meghan aimed her weapons at Kensington Palace in her latest court filing in her legal battle against British tabloid The Mail on Sunday.
She revealed that she had felt “unprotected” by the Royal Family’s communications team and prevented herself from defending herself.
A source said Newsweek: “Following previous announcements that The Duke and Duchess will not use the name ‘Sussex Royal’ and will not continue with a foundation in their name, the documentation was archived with Companies House and the Charity Commission to formally close the charity.
“This will appear in the online public registry in the coming days. The charity formally enters a ‘solvent liquidation’ period.”
They are undergoing a one-year review period for their new deal outside of the royal family, meaning that, in theory, they could return to real life.
However, the formal closure of Sussex Royal underscores their commitment to their new lives in California.
Travalyst launched in September, in partnership with Booking.com, Ctrip, Skyscanner, TripAdvisor and Visa to create momentum to make tourism green and sustainable.
The Duke and Duchess will now strive to use the company to help relaunch travel amid the coronavirus pandemic and save tourism.
The source said: “Travalyst now operates as a UK-based independent non-profit organization, and all of Sussex Royal’s assets will be transferred.
“The travel and tourism sector has been one of the hardest hit by the Covid pandemic, with communities and towns that have been heavily affected by livelihoods around the world.”
“The Travalyst Association is committed to playing an active role in helping tourism-dependent communities rebuild and recover in ways that support their long-term sustainability and resilience.
“We will have more to announce about this in the coming weeks and months.”
At the time, the prince said the plan was inspired by a seven-year-old boy he met on a tour of the Caribbean who told him: “Because of your country, my country’s coral reef is dying.”
It focuses on protecting wildlife, preserving the environment, and ensuring that communities around the world thrive, but at the same time that tourism grows.
At launch, The Guardian quoted the duke as saying, “We can’t rule out the idea of doing something just because we can’t do everything.
“We can all do better, and while no one is perfect, we all have a responsibility for our own individual impact. The question is what we do to balance it.”
The Newsweek source said: “During this period, all Trustees will cease to perform their functions except the Duke of Sussex, who will formally remain as Director and Trustee until the liquidation process is completed.
“The Duke and Duchess remain incredibly grateful for the support and guidance that administrators have provided during this period.
“During its 12 months, the charity’s only operation and development program has been the sustainable travel and tourism initiative, Travalyst.”
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