Harry and Meghans love in with the Bidens: How Archewells $250k donation to First Daughter Ashley shows how close very Democrat Sussexes are to the president - but will they heed warning to stay away from the family after Joes pardon for Hunter?

Prince Harry and Meghan have vowed to remain politically neutral in public.

And the Duke and Duchess of Sussexs charity the Archewell Foundation prides itself on being non-partisan supporters of good causes in America and around the world.

But while their decision to enter a $250,000 partnership with US President Joe Bidens daughter Ashley to support traumatised women has won plaudits, it has also raised eyebrows, especially after the recent row over Harrys US visa application.

Greg Swenson, a London-based financier and Chairman of Republicans Overseas UK, told MailOnline today that it is another sign of the closeness between the Sussex and Biden camps.

He said: The Hollywood and LA scene is very Democrat.

It shouldn’t be any surprise that Harry and Meghan would be connected with the Biden family, given their elite lifestyle and progressive friends.

He added: Although it seems to be virtue signalling, I don’t think there is any harm in supporting a charity, but added that given the recent row over Joe Bidens decision to pardon his own son Hunter, the Sussexes would be probably wise to stay away from them.

This week it emerged that the Archewell Foundation is a founding partner at a wellness hub for women impacted by trauma which pioneers a radical new type of therapy that Ashley Biden credits with helping her process her brother Beaus death at the age of just 46 in 2015.

Based in north Philadelphia, the Womens Wellness (Spa)ce was created by Ashley who envisioned the space 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.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have released their annual report for their charity the Archewell Foundation, which revealed a new link with the Bidens

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex , who insisted that they would remain politically neutral in public ahead of the States presidential election in November, are now connected with the First Daughter (pictured with President Biden in 2017), 43, through a non-partisan initiative

Prince Harry and Joe Biden watch USA Vs Denmark in the wheelchair rugby match at the Invictus Games Orlando in 2016

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex urged Americans to reject hate speech, misinformation and online negativity and register to vote in the 2020 US election

In a court decision handed down in September, US District Judge Carl Nichols said the court agreed that Prince Harrys privacy interest outweighs any public interest after Biden administration lawyers won the case to keep the documents sealed

Ashley Biden, 43, is a social worker whose passion is helping women released from prison, and according to tax documents Harry and Meghans charity gave her project $250,000 a year or more ago.

It is yet another sign that the Sussexes have become close to the Bidens, who have been highly supportive of the Invictus Games, which celebrated its ten-year anniversary this year.

Harry has also had the headache of a legal battle over his visa application in recent months.

He moved to Montecito with Meghan Markle and Archie in 2020 but his 2023 memoir Spare reveals he took cocaine, marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms as a younger man.

Visa applicants must by law declare whether they have taken drugs - and if the lied on their forms they could be deported.

But the Biden administration is said to have helped support him by refusing to release the Dukes application in a claim brought by a conservative think tank in New York earlier this year.

Conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation had sued the Department of Homeland Security, demanding that the American public must know if Harry disclosed his drug use on his visa application - but lost.

After the Heritage Foundation tried to overturn the decision, lawyers for the Biden administration responded by doubling down on its defence of the handling of Harrys move to the US in 2020.

A Government court filing read: The evidence before the Court plainly sufficed to show that [Heritages] speculation of impropriety was unfounded’.

Donald Trump could, however, intervene to have it released when he takes office in January. He has already said he is no fan of Meghan.

Harry and Meghan stayed quiet before the 2024 election, with some saying that not upsetting Mr Trump was a priority given the row over his immigration status.

But in 2020 they appeared to back Joe Biden when they made a video urging Americans to go out and vote to reject hate speech, misinformation and online negativity.

Meghan herself has long been rumoured to have political ambitions - but these have not yet materialised.

Ms Markle is said to have approached California Governor Gavin Newsom about whether he would support her replacing Democrat Senator Dianne Feinstein, who died last September.

But another candidate was chosen.

Beau Biden tragically passed away at the age of 46 in 2015 after being diagnosed with an aggressive brain cancer, glioblastoma. 

His death is just one in a series of tragedies that have befallen the Biden family; with the presidents first wife Neilia, mother to Beau and Hunter, and one-year-old sister, Naomi, dying in a car accident in 1972.

Harry and Meghans support for Ashleys centre was revealed in the foundations Impact Report for the 2023-2024 year, which was published on Monday and illustrates the Duke and Duchess philanthropic efforts through the organisation that they founded in 2020.

The Impact Report for the Archewell Foundations third full year has been released

Meghan hugs a young woman at one of the couples Archewell-related events with Harry out of shot to her left 

Harry and Meghan together in Columbia for their most recent foreign tour

Harry and Meghan with member of the Muslim community in their new glossy video

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have spent recent months focussing on more solo charity and business ventures, rarely appearing together since their joint tour to Colombia over the summer.

But despite reports of a professional separation, they are front and centre of a new behind-the-scenes video of Archewells major moments of the past 12 months with Coldplays Sky Full of Stars as the soundtrack to the near-two minute film.

It shows the couple together at a number of events as well as Meghan cooking with women plus footage of their trips across the US and abroad – mainly together and sometimes apart.

This week the Archewell Foundation released its annual report, which reveals that the Sussexes have partnered with US President Joe Bidens daughter Ashley to create a wellness hub for women impacted by trauma in Philadelphia which pioneers a radical new type of therapy, giving a $250,000 donation.

The charitys US tax return for 2023 has also been published, which reveals income has reached $5.7million last year, mainly thanks to a mystery benefactor who gave $5million in a single donation plus $335,000 from five other individuals.

The Archewell Foundation handed out $1.3million in grants to good causes in the US and other parts of the world. Expenditure on other costs such as salaries, event costs, legal fees and travel was just under $2million in 2023.

Harry and Meghan are directors but do not get paid a salary. The charitys tax return says they work a nominal one-hour-per-week, which according to People is a standard practice for directors of US tax-exempt organisations. 

But the Sussexes right-hand man James Holt, a co-executive director, was paid a $228,500 salary plus $18,428 in benefits from January to December 2023.

Co-executive director Shauna Nep, who is also close to the royal couple, earned a salary of $272,241 plus additional benefits totaling $26,356. Communications manager Deesha Tank was paid $140,000 plus $7,100 in other compensation, according to the US tax filings.

The new report reveals they paid $155,000 to Herlihy Loughran. The consultancy is run by Beth Herlihy, a former actress who once played a stripper in UK teen soap opera Hollyoaks and has been a loyal worker for the Sussexes after she was laid off by Kensington Palace following Megxit. 

James Holt, the couples most loyal aide, is a co-executive director and paid a $228,500 salary plus $18,428 in benefits

Beth Herlihy, a former Hollyoaks Later actress who was hired by Kensington Palace in 2016 has helped the Sussexes across the pond after Megxit. The Archewell Foundation paid $155,000 to Herlihy Loughran, a consultancy run by Beth 

The new tax return for the Archewell Foundation shows what staff and directors are paid. Harry and Meghan do not claim a salary

On Wednesday Prince Harry used a New York media summit to challenge persistent online rumours that his marriage to Meghan Markle is on the rocks after six years.

The Duke of Sussex was one of the star guests at the annual DealBook Summit live where he let rip at trolls, insisting he feels sorry for them because they hope they will split up.

He also used the event, also attended by Jeff Bezos and Bill Clinton, to criticise Britains legal system, Government, media and being in the public eye, declaring the attention was definitely not a good thing.

And Harry revealed he and wife have no plans to return to the UK - with their children at the heart of the decision - because Archie, five, and Lilibet, three can do things in America that they undoubtedly wouldnt be able to do in the UK.

With his wife Meghan 2,500 miles away at a gala event in Los Angeles with friend Tyler Perry, Harry was asked by the events founder Andrew Ross Sorkin about the publics fixation on their relationship.

Theyre fascinated Meghan is in California right now, and youre here. There are articles left and right about: Why are you making, doing independent events? Why arent you doing them together?

The Duke of Sussex then dismissed claims that he and Meghan are struggling.

Apparently weve bought or moved house 10, 12 times. Weve apparently divorced maybe 10, 12 times as well. So its just like, what?, Harry said laughing.

Its hard to keep up with, but thats why you just sort of ignore it. The people I feel most sorry about are the trolls.

Their hopes are just built and built, and its like, Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, and then it doesnt happen. So I feel sorry for them. Genuinely, I do.

Prince Harry quashed rumours online that he and Meghan have apparently divorced maybe 10, 12 times, blaming trolls

Prince Harry said that he and wife Meghan Markle have zero plans to leave the US, citing security concerns in the UK

Meghan Markle attended an event in LA without Harry, who was in New York at the same time

The couple, last pictured together on Armistice Day in November, have done an increasing amount of engagements separately in recent months

Harry and Meghan chose to carry out events separately, amid repeated reports of a professional separation to pursue more of their own personal business and charity passions.

The Duchess of Sussex wowed in a strapless black Oscar de la Renta gown with a sizzling front slit and strappy Celine heels at the The Paley Honors gala in Beverly Hills, held at the iconic Beverly Wilshire Hotel.

She grinned on the red carpet with friend Tyler Perry, one of the Sussexes biggest supporters.