It emerged that the Prince and Princess of Wales have landed themselves a spot on a prestigious list of the world’s best philanthropists, but there was no sign of Prince Harry and Meghan. Now, one royal expert has explained why this might be the case

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle (Image: Getty Images)

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will have been disappointed to not take a prestigious honour that was handed to the Prince and Princess of Wales, according to an expert. It emerged that William and Kate have been included in the Time 100 Philanthropy 2025 list, but Harry and Meghan were not.

Kate and William were included in the magazine’s Innovators category for “modernising royal philanthropy” and praised for being “less concerned with cultural preservation and more attuned to social issues”. But it was a different story for Harry and Meghan who were snubbed from this year’s list, despite being included four years ago.

Harry and Meghan at the TIME100 summit last month (Image: Getty Images for TIME)

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who quit their royal roles in 2020 to pursue private ventures in the corporate world, previously secured a spot on Time’s roster of the most influential figures back in 2021, which included a cover feature on the prestigious publication.

However, the couple, who tout themselves as “shaping the future through business and philanthropy” on their website, did not make the cut this year. Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond said the Waleses thoroughly deserve their place on the list, but believes not getting a mention themselves would have come as a blow to the Sussexes.

She told the Mirror: “I’m sure Harry and Meghan will be disappointed that they haven’t made the list, especially as they have emphasised their focus on philanthropy on their website. I wish them well with the work they do, but now, firmly outside the royal family, they simply do not pack the same punch as the prince and princess.”

William and Kate on a recent visit to the Isle of Mull (Image: PA)

William and Kate’s honour comes as the couple begin rolling out an ambitious project to transform community spaces across the UK, using a mixture of grants and donating personal time from their Royal Foundation.

They have identified several locations around the country which will benefit from financial backing and the creation of new task forces which will benefit from expert advice and guidance from their team. The aim is to create a network of businesses to invest in local projects to upgrade local facilities from community hubs to sports centres, which will be announced in the coming months.

And Jennie added: “There’s no denying that William and Catherine carry a lot of clout in whatever field they choose to get involved. And they have each made a significant impact in trying to help solve crucial social issues.

“I think they will be pleased that their efforts have been recognised alongside the likes of David Beckham, Oprah Winfrey, and Melinda French Gates.

“The Prince and Princess have focused their energy on causes like early development, the environment, homelessness and mental health. These are issues that affect large sections of society.

“Their brand of royal patronage is less about elitist cultural preservation and more, as William himself has said, about ‘impact philanthropy, collaboration, convening, and helping people’.

“Time magazine cited William and Catherine as innovators for modernising royal philanthropy. It recognised that their strategy is to get corporate and expert support for the causes they are working to highlight. They want to be more than just figureheads: they want to bang heads together and get action going to help solve some of society’s many problems.”