A Charity in the United Kingdom has revealed that it initially kept a dination from Meghan Markle, wife to Prince Harry, a secret because they feared it would damage their reputation. The charity in question, Himmah, deals with racism, poverty, Islamophobia and social exclusion.
“The reason we didn’t go public is the trustees took a view that she was like Marmite and there could be reputational issues – people not liking our charity because they don’t like her – so we decided to keep the donation secret,” its director Sajid Mohammad told BBC News.
Mohammad said that he felt the necessity of showing ‘solidarity’ towards the couple after their controversial interview with Oprah Winfrey aired on CBS in March. The donation of $13,000 (£10,000) was received in August through The Royal Foundation, a charity the Sussexes shared earlier with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
“After the interview we realized we’re a poverty and race organization” and “that we needed to show solidarity,” Sajid Mohammad said. He revealed that he initially thought it was an “elaborate hoax” and cried when he realised it was real.
Mohammad further said that the volunteers and trustees of Himmah were “completely moved by the very kind and generous and gracious words of the duchess.” The Oprah interview with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry triggered a great controversy after the couple accused the British Royal Family of being racists.
Meghan told Oprah that when she was pregnant, there were a lot of ‘conversations’ in the royal family sphere about how baby of Meghan and Prince Harry, formerly the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, may not be given any royal title, and their child may not be given the title of a prince.
Following the interview, the British Royal Family issued a statement saying that the matter raised by Meghan Markle was concerning.