The Duke and Duchess of Sussex paid nearly £90,000 ($109,800) to Katie McCormick Lelyveld's PR company, KMLSA LLV, for "strategic support for social impact PR" in 2021. Lelyveld, who served as former First Lady Michelle Obama's press secretary from 2007 to 2011, provided her expertise to the Sussexes' Archewell Organisation.
Lelyveld has also worked with political figures such as Hillary Clinton and former presidential candidate John Kerry.
The payment details were disclosed in Archewell's tax returns. Archewell Foundation, as stated on its website, is a "global nonprofit that puts compassion into action; uplifting and uniting communities locally and globally; online and offline."
Following her time in the White House, Michelle Obama lauded Lelyveld for her "intelligence, grace, quick wit, humor and friendship."
KMLSA, as reported by The Sun, is a consultancy where "global leaders turn to navigate challenges with reputational, political, philanthropic, legal and financial lenses," and claims to have "decades of dynamic experience with influential leaders."
A source informed The Sun that Archewell's significant payment was not associated with Lelyveld's political work, but rather, she was engaged as an "experienced strategic adviser."
Leaked tax filings from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Archewell Foundation revealed various details, including that the couple worked only 52 hours for the foundation in 2021, equivalent to one hour per week.
Archewell Foundation, established in October 2020 after the couple was barred from using the "Sussex Royal" name for their projects, is based in Beverly Hills. It raised over $13 million from donors, with $10 million coming from a single generous benefactor.
An insider told the New York Post that reports of the couple "hardly working" do not accurately represent the work being accomplished by their charity. The tax documents also indicated that the foundation spent $163,085 (£132,079) on salaries, but the couple did not receive any salary from the organization.