George Harrison's 1973 royalty gift lives on: £573K charity spend in 2024 alone

More than 50 years after George Harrison promised to donate his solo music earnings to charity, the late Beatle's foundation continues to give hundreds of thousands of pounds each year to causes around the world. Annual financial records filed with the Charity Commission for England and Wales show that the Material World Foundation spent £573,221 on charitable work during the 2024 reporting year. The money comes from an agreement Harrison made in 1973. He gave all publishing royalties from his hit solo album Living in the Material World to his newly created foundation permanently. Even decades after his death, income from record sales, streaming and radio play continues to support emergency relief, medical research and community arts projects around the world.Establishing a permanent giftHarrison founded the organisation in autumn 1973.