The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust has responded to a national newspaper article that questioned the salaries paid to its top employees.
The Daily Mail newspaper ran a piece highlighting the fact that in the year to the end of March last year, the charity spent 98 per cent of its almost £800,000 income on salaries for its 10 employees. The article also raised questions about the charity’s links to an online coaching company that employs Prince Harry.
The story said that Nicola Brentnall, who stepped down as the chief executive of the charity on 31 March, earned at least £140,000 over the course of the year.
The newspaper noted that this was similar to the wage of the chief executive of the RSPCA, which spent £140m in 2020 and has about 1,400 staff.
The QCT’s latest accounts show that the four members of its senior management team were collectively paid almost £420,000 over the course of the year.
The charity, which was launched in 2018, works to support young leaders in Commonwealth countries. The Queen is its royal patron.
It 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.
The charity pointed out that its spending of £1.5m in 2020/21 was significantly higher than its income and that more than 80 per cent of this went on charitable activities.
“Staff are a core part of most charities’ expenditure,” the charity said.
“The majority of staff time for QCT is focused on charitable activities – for example, work to strengthen the organisations of Young Leaders who are transforming their communities.”
The QCT said the income deficit had been met through drawing down a one-off grant given to the charity in 2019.
“This grant is supporting QCT, as intended, as the charity develops its own philanthropic programme. QCT continues to draw down on these funds to supplement its own fundraising in support of its charitable purpose.”