Prince Harry and Meghan Markle‘s finances are reportedly not in a great state, and it is said to have left the royal couple scrambling to save every dollar as they strive to keep up with their expensive lifestyle.
Reports claim the situation has left the duchess especially juggling different ventures to bring in cash as they’re both reluctant to “dip into” the duke’s inheritance.
Prince Harry and Meghan, who recently celebrated their 8th wedding anniversary, are also reportedly looking to reconcile with the royal family.
Harry and Meghan are said to be running their life in California on a very tight budget, despite fostering a public narrative of a wealthy home.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex left their royal roles in 2020 after major fallouts with some members of the royal family and the British press.
They aimed to live an independent, celebrity lifestyle across the pond, but it appears that the harsh reality of funding such a global brand is fast catching up with them.
According to Star Magazine, a source revealed that they are now “watching every dollar” as they continue to live their lives to the best of their abilities, completely determined not to dip any further into Harry’s inheritance from his mother, Princess Diana, and great-grandmother, Princess Elizabeth, Queen Mother.
“Harry and Meghan are watching every dollar right now. Their cash flow, or lack of it, is a major concern, and it’s been that way for a while,” the source said. “They may be multi-millionaires with savings they’ve tucked away for emergencies, but their outgoings are absolutely huge.”
Meghan Markle Has Had To Work More To Keep Things Steady
Maintaining the Sussex brand doesn’t come cheap, as the source revealed that their family needs roughly $6 million a year just to keep their current lifestyle afloat.
Page Six reports that up to half of that amount goes directly into top-tier private security for them and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
Combined with the mortgage on their $15 million sprawling Montecito estate, staff salaries, and legal fees, the outgoings have reportedly forced a hard look at their balance sheet.
This has seemingly left them anxious for money, with Meghan having to float several business ventures to keep things intact.
“It all boils down to the fact that they’re not getting those lucrative paydays right now, or at least Harry certainly isn’t,” the source told Star. “Meghan is effectively the family breadwinner. She’s working her socks off on her As Ever brand and other business ventures — that’s providing the bulk of their earnings.”
Prince Harry Has Reportedly Struggled To Bring In Money
Things haven’t always been this bad for the Montecito-based royals. When they first ditched their royal roles, Harry secured an appointment as chief impact officer for mental health startup BetterUp in 2021, with a reported yearly salary of $1 million.
He soon secured a $27 million payday for his efforts on his 2023 blockbuster memoir “Spare,” coupled with the multi-million dollar deals they initially got from Netflix and Spotify.
However, Netflix has since downgraded its deal to a less lucrative “first look” deal, while Spotify completely pulled the plug on working with them.
Although he has taken up several speaking engagements, like the one he took part in when he and Meghan traveled to Australia last month, NewsNation reported that his speaking fee has dropped from $1 million in 2020 to just about $50,000 today.
“He’d love to make more, but he’s hampered by the fact that he’s in Hollywood and not really in the same league as Meghan when it comes to business,” the insider continued. “And he’s loath to dip into his inheritance.”
A Possible Divorce Would Be Hard For Harry And Meghan As They Are Stronger ‘Together’
Harry and Meghan celebrated their 8th wedding anniversary on Tuesday, May 19, with the former “Suits” actress taking to her Instagram Story to share a sweet photo of them kissing while holding a cake, and another photo where they looked happy together wearing penguin-themed costumes.
It appears there’s no easy way out for them regarding the situation with their finances, as any consideration of a divorce will hit them hard financially and reveal the reality of things they’d rather keep secret.
“Harry and Meghan are definitely worth a whole lot more together than apart,” the insider added. “So for the time being, it appears they’re stuck with each other, whether they like it or not!”
Meanwhile, reports suggest Meghan had a “huge shock” when she got to see how much Harry was actually worth. She’d reportedly believed he would be worth “hundreds of millions,” but the reality hit her hard, especially when compared to their expensive lifestyle.
Prince Harry Has Called For Reconciliation With The Royal Family
Amid reports of financial strain for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Harry is said to have been seeking for reconciliation with the royal family.
He has also made this call himself publicly during an interview with the BBC after he lost his bid to have his security as a royal restored.
At the time, Harry said he “would love a reconciliation,” adding that “there’s no point in continuing to fight anymore.”
Unfortunately, his request seems to have been met with silence, with royal authors and insiders noting that his brother, Prince William, has been especially hard to get through to.
So, in the meantime, it’s unclear whether the duke will get his wish for a reconciliation. However, experts are looking at his upcoming Invictus Games event in the UK as a means for him to make a reunion with the royal family a reality.
