The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s Archewell Foundation released a lot of information this week to People Magazine, information about the $5.3 million in grants they received in 2023, information about how they’re parceling out that money, and information about how much they spend on staffing and staging events. They also highlighted some of their special causes, and they made some interesting news: Archewell is a founding partner in Ashley Biden’s Women’s Wellness (Spa)ce in Philadelphia. Ashley Biden is the 43-year-old daughter of Joe and Jill Biden, and Ashley is a long-time social worker who saw the need to focus on formerly incarcerated women’s wellness at a local level. From People Magazine:
According to Archewell Foundation’s 2023-24 Impact Report, which was exclusively shared with PEOPLE, the Archewell Foundation is a founding partner of the Women’s Wellness (Spa)ce, a trauma-informed wellness center for women in north Philadelphia, created by Ashley.
Ashley, 43, is the daughter of President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, and a social worker by trade. According to the Archewell Foundation’s 2023 tax records, reviewed by PEOPLE, the organization donated $250,000 to the Women’s Wellness (Spa)ce.
“Drawing from her experience with the criminal justice system, Biden’s initiative is inspired by her work with Mural Arts’ Women’s Reentry Program, providing support and opportunities for formerly incarcerated women,” the Impact Report said about the connection. “The center aims to offer a safe haven and community for women impacted by trauma, providing resources such as nutritious food, exercise, meditation, and therapeutic interventions.”
PEOPLE understands that the Women’s Wellness (Spa)ce closely aligns with Archewell Foundation’s mission to elevate mental health, a core belief of the organization’s work. As founding partners, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex resonated with the center’s commitment to supporting women in need.
Meghan, 43, has long made uplifting women and girls a priority of her public work, with a focus on programs promoting empowerment, well-being and social justice. A Linktree describes the Women’s Wellness (Spa)ce as “a mindfully designed drop-in wellness center for women in Philadelphia, PA.” A photo shared in the Impact Report shows a group sitting in a circle in a sunlit room with plants, a glowing votive on a center table.
PEOPLE confirms that the hub is operational, and Ashley’s interview with Elle, published in March 2023, referenced her hopes to open a wellness space for women impacted by trauma with Mural Arts Philadelphia, the country’s largest public art program. The Philadelphia location takes Ashley back to where she earned her master’s in social work through the University of Pennsylvania, before taking jobs at the Delaware’s Department of Services for Children, Youth & Their Families and Delaware Center for Justice (both located in the Biden family’s home state).
The Elle interview said that the First Daughter imagined the center as “a drop-in space where women can eat a healthy meal, hit the treadmill or box, listen to guided meditation, and access therapies including EMDR and infrared saunas, which Ashley herself has found effective and wants to share with others.”
The wellness center will probably do a lot to combat recidivism, in addition to providing a safe space for women reentering society after their incarceration. It sounds like a really cool thing for Ashley Biden, and it’s great that the Sussexes have gotten involved through Archewell. I would imagine that Meghan was probably drawn to the work more than Harry. This seems to be Meghan’s throughline – helping women, especially low-income women or down-on-their-luck women, get back on their feet.
Additionally, the Daily Beast’s Royalist column is trying to make political hay out of this. Tom Sykes insinuates that this all some kind of ludicrous quid pro quo because the Biden administration refused to hand over Harry’s private visa file to the Heritage Foundation:
The Biden Administration has been accused of protecting Harry and Meghan by not fulfilling a Freedom of Information request to release the duke’s immigration records submitted by the Heritage Foundation. The Heritage Foundation is the right-wing think tank which authored the controversial Project 2025 document. A federal judge ruled in September that Harry was entitled to privacy in the matter and his paperwork should not be released.
However, the new revelation will do little to quieten chatter in the right-wing blogosphere that the Sussexes and Bidens are inappropriately close, with Jill Biden having been a vocal cheerleader for Harry’s Invictus Games. In September 2021, Jill Biden hosted an online Invictus Games event with Harry.
“Has been accused of protecting Harry and Meghan” – apparently, President Biden has not gone out of his way to target or harass the Sussexes, nor did his administration serve them up on a platter to the white nationalist fascist lobby, and that means Harry and Meghan… donated a quarter of a million to Ashley Biden’s lovely charity as a thank you?
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.
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- Juneteenth concert on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C. Featuring: Joe Biden, Ashley Biden Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 13 Jun 2023 Credit: POOL via CNP/startraksphoto.com
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- Handout photos of Prince Harry, Meghan Markle during their official visit to the school of drums of the cabildo in Cartagena. Featuring: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle Where: Cartagena, Colombia When: 17 Aug 2024 Credit: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Meghan, Duchess of SussexAbaca Press/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Handout photos of Prince Harry, Meghan Markle during their official visit to the school of drums of the cabildo in Cartagena. Featuring: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle Where: Cartagena, Colombia When: 17 Aug 2024 Credit: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Meghan, Duchess of SussexAbaca Press/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- United States Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (Democrat of New York) gives an introduction to United States President Joe Biden’s address at the 2024 Democratic National Convention at the United Center. Featuring: Ashley Biden Where: Chicago, Wisconsin, United States When: 19 Aug 2024 Credit: POOL via CNP/INSTARimages.com
Funnily enough, Ashley and Meghan could pass for sisters.
lol I thought the photo of Ashley was Meghan at first.
Ashley Biden is the anti-Ivanka. A career built from hard work with her original face.
Meghan and Ashley could be sisters. Their resemblance is strong. Not that Pippa shit that folks were saying a few years ago.
I knew that that was coming I said it yesterday. I guess the fact that DHS argued the case, that their department didn’t do anything wrong which is what most entities being sued would do is scandalous. And the fact that the judge agreed with them also makes them on the take? Not that the case was a ridiculous fishing expedition for content at best, and more likely a nefarious scheme to force Harry to the UK ( because he has no other options clearly). I guess implying that the administration and the judge are unethical is their new tack, since some of the BM in recent weeks appear to have realized that they couldn’t just deport him in 5 seconds in the extremely unlikely case that they get to see his visa, and he lied about something, and that the Trump administration who issued the Visa acted improperly, they would have a legal fight for years that may outlast this administration, because they are very wealthy.
“Inappropriately close?” What the hell does that even mean?
Tom Sykws really irritates me. He has absolutely no credibility! Trying to make this political and smear a charitable organisation that is doing good for vulnerable women. How wicked can that be! This guy is now a puppet of the royal institution and a complete lying toady!
I honestly am astonished by the amount of cruel intention created daily by the Brit tabloids. They are truly mentally ill.
Inappropriately close? What are they suggesting here?
I guess this is a tutorial for the rest of us on the depths that white supremacy will sink to force their agenda.
Another tutorial is the way Trump world pulled off “winning” another election ( Musk) and before even taking office is busy choosing the most heinous criminals to run the government. The Heritage Trust is closely aligned with Trump.
So glad for Harry and Meghan. And folks like Ashley.
Their strength and choices are a wonderful example of holding forth in the midst of it all. They are helping us All.
I swear to goodness it’s going to be a long 4 years. I am related to a social worker. They are effing saints they do a lot with a sh*tty salary. The fact that Ashley Biden is able to create a non profit and leverage her last name into donors is a luxury that many people don’t have. And I’m not mad at it. It’s exhausting to be a part of a system that grinds down social workers to the degree that they get burnt out. Good on her to leverage her passion that works outside of the system. And also good on Archewell to find the a program to put money where their mouth is. My mom (the social worker) loves Harry for all he is doing to elevate mental health. They need to keep up the good works and damn the haters.
Tom Skyes is desperate to smear Harry with such toxic insinuations. Has he crossed the line in smearing not only Harry but the Biden administration as well as Jill Biden.
Tom Skyes is desperate to smear Harry with such toxic insinuations. Has he crossed the line in smearing not only Harry but The Biden administration as well as
Jill Biden
‘Inappropriately close’? KCIII was being passed bags of cash from Saudi and other Middle Eastern countries, but Harry and Meghan donating money to a worthwhile cause is suspect or some kind of quid pro quo? That’s hilarious given some of the shenanigans KCIII and Prince Andrew have gotten up to.
What a ludicrous claim. If anything, the Biden’s have avoided the Sussexes because the UK has made such a stink about it, hence the absence from Invictus, or the bleating that the Sussexes might get a ride on AirForce 1after QEII’s funeral. This wellness center is so in the Sussexes wheelhouse. Not getting access to Harry’s immigration records really sticks in their craw and to imply this is a quid pro quo is a new low, even for Sykes.
We don’t know what goes on behind the scenes.
The BRF can’t tell the Bidens what to do, so in saying the Bidens kept their distance from the Sussexes, did they invite Chucky to a State dinner?
Biden spent a week in Ireland and a few days in Salt Island.
Jill was out there saying she is reading Spare.
Why would the Sussexes get on Air Force One, that is landing in DC, when they live in California?
It sounds like a great org. Good for archwell for partnering with them.
I’m glad that Archewell is releasing information about what sounds like an amazing organization to raise awareness and money ahead of the holidays – a lot of people make donations around this time of year.
As for Sykes, he’s a palace mouthpiece, and remember that every accusation is always a confession with these people! Trading donations for political favours? That’s how the royals operate, of course, and they don’t understand actual charity. One of these families is known to accept bags of cash and gifts in return for honours, and it’s not H and M. One of these families ensures that the rules of inheritance, taxes, and providing decent housing for tenants don’t apply to them (and it’s not H and M). One of these families is protected from the scrutiny of the fourth estate (and – say it with me – it ain’t H and M).
LOL on the “inappropriately close” insinuation when the BRF and the Tories were joined at the hip and there was a revolving door between them for personnel. Tom Sucks is well below sea level at this point. And I guess his dumb @ss forgot it was a Trump appointed judge who put the Kibosh on the Heritage Foundation spying on Harry’s visa paperwork.
When you’ve got nothing else, you go low. At least these bm writers are consistent.
For profit prisons are growing and we need more programs to aid in reentry so I applaud Ashley Biden for creating this (Spa)ce for women. I continue to be impressed with all the different ways Meghan supports women.
Ashley really is the anti-Ivanka. She’s down to earth — a social worker, for goodness’ sake — and seems committed to using her last name to do genuine good.
This seems like a perfect fit for Archewell (and definitely not a quid pro quo — it’s the Trumps and the left-behind royals who deal in them).
The Beast seems to think that it is wrong for the FLOTUS to support a charity devoted to helping wounded servicemen and women. That seems strange, It is a very good cause for the FLOTUS to support.
My goodness, the header photo of Meghan is placed with the header of the earlier article on Kate. All I can say, is WOW – Kate looks soooo old next to Meghan.