Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are setting up a complex network of companies all based in the opaque tax haven state of Delaware – despite living and doing business in California.
Since April 2020, Meghan’s lawyer and longtime business manager, have incorporated 11 companies and one trust for them, according to state filings. This includes a company that was apparently created for Harry’s multimillion-dollar memoir book contract.
The names of the companies are based on a Japanese term that is used for contract making. It also refers to Meghan’s Spanish freckles and to the South American river. This could be a nod to the $44,000 “babymoon” getaway they took in 2019.
All the companies have their headquarters in Beverly Hills, where Richard Genow (an attorney who worked for many years with the Duchess) is based.
Andrew Meyer, her business manager, appears on all company filings of the 11 companies. Andrew Meyer is a highly-connected money expert whose clients include Jon Chu, Anna Kendrick and Adam Driver.
DailyMail.com has learned that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have set up an intricate network of businesses based in Delaware, a mysterious tax haven.
Meyer and Genow inked two publishing houses among their list of companies. Peca Publishing LLC was established in September 2020. It is Meghan’s first publishing company. Peca means freckle in Spanish and is a reference to a book Meghan wrote for eighth grade in A Face Without Freckles… A Night Without Stars
In September 2020 Orinoco Publishing LLC was incorporated– though it didn’t register its status in California until December 22, 2021. Orinoco’s purpose is unknown, but it appears that Harry signed a book deal with Penguin Random House to publish his memoir.
Colombia’s 1,400-mile Orinoco River runs through Venezuela and Colombia. The name Orinoco River is an acronym for “a place to paddle” in Warao.
Meyer and Genow inked two publishing houses among their list of companies. The Peca Publishing LLC (the first) was created in September 2020 by Meghan. It holds the rights to The Bench, her children’s book.
Some Delaware-based companies of the Sussexes were established to own the trademarks associated with their charity Archewell.
The same day a second company was incorporated, Orinoco Publishing LLC – though it didn’t register its status in California until December 22, 2021.
Orinoco isn’t known for what purpose, although it is possible that Orinoco was created to handle Harry’s lucrative book deal with Penguin Random House. The rights are for Harry’s memoir due later this year.
Peca is Spanish for freckle. This may be a reference Meghan’s eighth-grade book A Face Without Freckles…Is a Night Without Stars. A copy currently resides in the Congressional Library.
Orinoco refers to a South American river that flows through Colombia and Venezuela.
One of the Delaware-based companies that the Sussexes set up was to own the trademarks associated with their charity Archewell.
Harry and Meghan created Cobblestone Lane LLC to hold the Archewell logo. However, they filed another trademark application for a second logo with only the letters “AW” on top. This was done under an entirely different Delaware company, IPHW LLC.
Cobblestone Lane LLC was established in Delaware in February 2020. Five days later, it was filed for the Archewell mark.
Although both Archewell & Cobblestone have California offices, the LLC was not registered with California’s Secretary of State.
UpCounsel, a legal website, states that before any company can transact intrastate or interstate business, it must first register with and be qualified by the California Secretary Of State. This is almost two years since the East Coast was established.
On January 2, 2022 the company filed an ‘application to register as a foreign limited liability company’, noting it was incorporated on February 27, 2020 in Delaware. Unlike Harry and Meghan’s other companies, it shares a business address with the British Consulate-General in Los Angeles, rather than being based at Genow’s offices.
UpCounsel, a legal website states that before any company can transact intrastate or interstate business within the state it must first register with and be qualified by the California Secretary Of State.
“This basically means your California business needs to be registered if it wants to operate in California.
Questions about why Cobblestone hadn’t filed California documents for nearly two years were not answered by the lawyers of the couple.
All the companies have their headquarters in Beverly Hills, where Richard Genow (left), an attorney who worked for many years with the Duchess of Cornwall, is located. Andrew Meyer (right), Andrew Meyer’s business manager, appears on filings of the companies. He is a highly-connected money guru.
The companies are in the tax haven of Delaware, despite the couple living and doing business in California. This is the Montecito estate they live in.
One of the couple’s companies is named for a Japanese term meaning the informal process of quietly laying the foundation for a project
Meghan, who was eighteen years old when her book A Face Without Freckles…Is A Day Without Stars was published, thanked Thomas for his support.
Harry and Meghan spent a weekend in Hampshire at Heckfield Place Hotel just before their son Archie was born. Perhaps it was the reason they named Hampshire LLC after their company.
IPHW, a Delaware-based organization, did register with California’s Secretary of State on July 16, 2021.
Archewell Audio LLC, and Archewell Productions LLC are two companies that have attracted international attention due to their high-profile entertainment agreements with Spotify and Netflix.
Baobab Holdings LLC was also established by Meghan’s moneymen in February 2013. They stated in company documents, however that the firm was intended for investment.
Baobab, a unique tree that is native to Australia and Africa, is one of the most distinctive.
Baobab trees are native to Australia and Africa.
Genow and Meyer founded two entertainment companies in January 2013: Bridgemount LLC, and Hampshire LLC.
Perhaps the name of this latter may be an allusion to Harry’s and Meghan’s famous holiday at a Hampshire Georgian Georgian five-star Georgian mansion. It was where they spent three nights during Meghan’s final weeks in pregnancy.
At the time, a friend said to the Sun: “Meghan is just a few weeks away from giving birth. Harry wanted to really treat her.”
Nemawashi Holdings, LLC, was established September 2020 and was only described by Meyer and Genow as a “holding company”. Nemawashi, a Japanese term that refers to the process of silently laying foundations for projects, is an informal Japanese concept.
Another mysterious company, RPV Holdings LLC was established a month before.
Genow revealed to the Hollywood Reporter that Meyer was his friend and colleague for over 15 years.
Meyer is a Certified Public Accountant and the founder of Beverly Hills Entertainment Wealth Management firm Freemark Financial. He lives in Holmby Hills with Stephanie, in a six-bedroom, 6,600 sq ft home.
Nemawashi Holdings, LLC, which was founded in September 2020, was described as only a holding company’ by Genow and Meyer. Nemawashi refers to a Japanese word that means quietly laying foundations for projects.
Archewell Audio LLC, and Archewell Productions LLC are two companies that have attracted international attention due to the Sussexes’ high-profile entertainment agreements with Spotify and Netflix.
The Duchess of Sussex’s financial team made discreet moves before 2020 regarding Frim Fram Inc, which is the business behind The Tig lifestyle blog.
According to Delaware business records Frim Fram Inc had been registered in Delaware as a new company on the 30th of December 2019.
According to California business records Frim Fram Inc California was “Merged Out” the next day and incorporated with Delaware.
Because Delaware is a place where companies can seek extreme corporate secrecy, this is important.
Mid-Atlantic residents do not have to reveal their identity. They can use a registered agent for as low as $50.
The company’s financial details are kept secret. The move appeared to show that Meghan planned to keep her and Harry’s business as opaque as possible – and stuck to their plans, incorporating every one of their following companies in the secretive state.
Delaware is home to nearly 65 percent Fortune 500 companies. This makes it the state where more corporations are registered than residents.