Meghan Markle may have moved on from her days as a global ambassador, but the spotlight has unexpectedly returned to one of her former charities.
World Vision, where Meghan served as a global ambassador until 2017, is now under investigation by the Charity Commission following complaints that its British arm is a “toxic” and “hostile” workplace.
The Duchess famously travelled on behalf of World Vision to countries including Rwanda in 2016 and India in 2017, championing causes such as clean water access for children.
Her trip to Rwanda, in particular, helped launch her into the public eye, culminating in a widely circulated photo of Meghan hugging a child.
The Duchess cut ties with World Vision and other international charities in 2017 to focus on Prince Harry’s foundation, with his communications team explaining that she wanted “to start with a clean slate to focus on the UK.”
Now, years later, the organisation she once championed is facing serious scrutiny, reminding the public that even past affiliations can resurface in unexpected ways proving that in Meghan’s world, the headlines never stay quiet for long.
World Vision UK is facing an official assessment by the Charity Commission following serious complaints of sexism, racism, and homophobia at its London headquarters, according to The Times.
Allegations were reported based on interviews with 11 current and former staff, include claims that the charity’s leadership “ignored, silenced or inadequately handled” complaints.
Incidents involved human resources confusing two Black female employees, mispronouncing names of non-white staff, and colleagues allegedly imitating accents.
A spokesperson for World Vision UK denied the claims of a toxic culture, stressing,
“Our talented and dedicated staff are hugely important to us. We provide various mechanisms for dealing with staff complaints, and if these are upheld, we act immediately… We operate by the highest standards set by the Charity Commission.”
The charity is currently undergoing a major restructuring, with around 60 of 200 staff members expected to be made redundant.
This comes as part of broader efforts to adapt to challenges in the international development sector, the spokesperson said.
In a positive step, the organisation appointed Fola Komolafe, its first female and first Black chief executive, in April. Earlier this year, she attended a humanitarian reception at Buckingham Palace, where she met the King and Queen.
