Meghan Markle is using her break from royal duties to work with a boss at her former Hollywood publicist on a strategy to raise ‘tens of millions of dollars’ for the foundation she and her husband are setting up, DailyMailTV can reveal.
The Duchess of Sussex is said to be in ‘full work mode’ behind the scenes during her and Harry’s extended vacation.
DailyMailTV has learned that The Duchess has been working with PR advisor, fellow American and close friend Keleigh Thomas Morgan on building a U.S. strategy for the charity venture, which has the full name Sussex Royal, The Foundation of the D&D of Sussex.
Sources in Los Angeles say that Thomas Morgan has been secretly assisting Meghan on the charity launch and fundraising drive and helping her plot a strategy for the next 18 months.
The Duchess of Sussex has been working with Keleigh Thomas Morgan (right), a boss at her former Hollywood publicist, during her break from royal duties
Sources tell DailyMailTV that Thomas Morgan has been secretly assisting Meghan on launching her and Harry’s charity and fundraising drive. Meghan pictured meeting young wellwishers during their royal tour of South Africa in September
Thomas Morgan is a partner and head of West Coast operations for PR giant Sunshine Sachs, where the Duchess was a client before her engagement to Prince Harry. Thomas Morgan is working privately, not through the firm.
The PR executive represented Meghan (pictured in 2012) while she was an actress on the TV series Suits
While Thomas Morgan is assisting Meghan, it’s understood the royal is very much ‘running things’ and insists on maintaining complete creative control as well as making all executive decisions.
Prince Harry is understood to have handed his wife the reins and his full backing.
‘Meghan may officially be on her royal break, but don’t believe she is taking her foot off the gas,’ a source with knowledge of the project told DailyMailTV.
The source continued: ‘The break and Thanksgiving of course have been a time to balance the needs of her family, but you cannot underestimate what an incredible force Meghan is.
‘Thomas Morgan has been a huge help in turning Meghan’s vision into reality.
‘She is also acting as a great networker, helping build out relationships and business arrangements once Meghan has set up links to her other celebrity supporters and friends.
‘What is most interesting is that Meghan feels that while the charity will be a worldwide venture, she sees Hollywood and American business circles as key to fundraising.
‘Meghan feels that with the wealth in the U.S., focusing on fundraising stateside will bring in tens of millions of dollars quickly.’
Sunshine Sachs – one of the biggest PR agencies in the U.S. – represents many Hollywood A-listers, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Natalie Portman, Bette Midler, Barbra Streisand, Jennifer Lopez and Michael Jackson’s family, but also has expertise in managing charity events.
In recent years the firm has overseen the Global Green Oscar gala, The Thirst Gala, The Gracie Awards and Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s Annual Grants Banquet.
Meghan became close to Thomas Morgan when the PR executive represented her during her time working on TV series Suits and she attended Meghan and Harry’s royal wedding in May 2018.
A U.S. presence for the foundation would be hugely lucrative. However, the Sussexes are yet to file any paperwork establishing the foundation in the U.S.
The foundation, Sussex Royal, The Foundation of the D&D of Sussex, is expected to launch in late Spring or early Summer 2020. The Duke and Duchess pictured during their September visit to Cape Town, South Africa
Sources tell DailyMailTV that Prince Harry has handed his wife the reins and his full backing in their charity foundation venture
The Duchess is focusing on fundraising stateside with the hopes to bring in ‘tens of millions of dollars quickly’. The Duchess is pictured last year visiting The Hubb Community Kitchen
The Duchess’ father-in-law, Prince Charles, has long had a fundraising arm based in Washington D.C., the Prince of Wales Foundation (USA). Its chairman, Michael Kaiser, is a former Kennedy Center administrator and it has a full-time professional fundraiser.
The source said Meghan and Harry are determined to build the foundation into one of the biggest philanthropic organizations on the planet.
‘While Harry and Meghan are technically on rest, she is not the type of woman who likes doing nothing; so this break actually could be seen by some as very fortuitous.
‘This is a mission that Meghan has been on for a long time,’ the source said.
Keleigh Thomas Morgan works for Sunshine Sachs – one of the biggest PR agencies in the U.S. – but is working with the Duchess independently
‘Even in her younger years in Hollywood, she wanted to work towards creating an international charity changing lives.
‘Now that she has the platform and profile of being a British royal she can truly build this plan.
‘She sees this foundation as one of the key factors in creating a legacy as a new royal and Harry is right behind her.’
The source added: ‘She is plowing much of her time and energy into getting every aspect of the charity ready.
‘Meghan is desperate to make it a success and is overseeing everything from basic letters for potential sponsors to being part of negotiations for the fundraisers and launch.
‘And the way that she is working, her view is that the beginning of this life-long mission should be done before the summer.
‘Logistics and practical matters may alter that, but she is raring to go.’
The royal couple has already shown they mean business by appointing two senior British businessmen, Steven Cooper, who worked for London-based bank Barclays and businessman Steven Cooper and coffee entrepreneur Stefan Allesch-Taylor as directors of the foundation.
The foundation is expected to launch in late Spring or early Summer 2020.
In the U.K. Harry, 35, and Meghan, 38, have already appointed influential media executive Karen Blackett, chairwoman of media agency MediaCom U.K., as their first trustee, followed by TV presenter and philanthropist Kirsty Young.
The royal couple established the foundation earlier this year after splitting from their joint charity with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge – The Royal Foundation.
It followed reports of a rift among the so called ‘Fab Four’, first between Kate and Meghan, then between future king William and his younger brother Harry.
The royal couple established the foundation earlier this year after splitting from their joint charity with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
The Sussexes will be keen to make the new charity a huge success given the tension with the Cambridges.
Recent U.S. reports claimed that ‘no one’ in the royal family is ‘checking in, texting or speaking to’ Harry and Meghan, at the moment.
In October the Duke and Duchess of Sussex opened up about struggling with royal life and public scrutiny in the explosive ITV program Meghan and Harry: An African Journey, in which Meghan revealed not many people have asked if she’s ‘okay.’
The Sussexes recently announced they wouldn’t be spending Christmas with the Royal Family.
It’s understood the couple celebrated Thanksgiving with Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland and will be stateside throughout the festive season – although their location remains a mystery.
Despite The Queen giving her grandson her full support, royal sources said the monarch was in the dark about his festive plans until he called her at Buckingham Palace to decline her open invite.
William and Kate have missed Christmas at Sandringham twice since 2012.