Queen's Charity, partnered with Prince Harry, responds to criticism

The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust, which partnered with Prince Harry's life coaching firm, has cleared the air about the salaries being paid to its top employees.

A UK newspaper highlighted the fact that in the year to the end of March last year, the Queen's Commonwealth Trust (QCT) brought in £796,106 from donors but paid out £787,314 in staff costs to its ten employees. Over half of the cash went to its five most senior executives who earned £420,000 between them, according to Charity Commission accounts show.

Chris Kelly's predecessor, Nicola Brentnall, the chief executive, earned at least £140,000 – a similar salary to the boss of the RSPCA, despite the animal charity raising some £130million in donations and employing nearly 2,000 staff.

QCT said in a statement that the salary for Chris Kelly, the charity’s new chief executive, was about half the figure Brentnall was being paid after a restructure.

It said the restructure had reduced the size and cost of its senior management team, meaning the amount spent on top executives was “substantially lower in the current financial year”.

“This adjustment has enabled QCT to continue to support young social entrepreneurs across the Commonwealth with flexible funding, practical business tools and support, and a vibrant youth network, in a sustainable way,” it said.

'Chris Kelly was appointed as CEO in April 21, at which point QCT restructured, reducing the size and costs of its senior team, with the current CEO’s salary now approximately half of the figure quoted.

'The spend on the Senior Management Team is now substantially lower in the current financial year, reflecting this restructure.' Said the QCT

The charity was also in questions for promoting online coaching company BetterUp, which employs Prince Harry as its chief impact officer.

The money spent in staff costs raised serious questions over how much emphasis the organisation, with the Queen as patron, puts on charitable endeavours.