Author Claims Meghan Markle 'Couldn't Resist' Expensive 'Freebies' Even After Becoming a Royal

Meghan Markle is known for her impeccable fashion sense and love for women-led apparel brands. As per reports, the Duchess of Sussex always wanted to get her hands on opulent designer bags and gifts during her time in the royal fold. Royal author Tina Brown claimed Markle couldn’t resist expensive freebies and yearned to live in lavish houses.

In her book, The Palace Papers: Inside the House of Windsor, the Truth and the Turmoil, Brown revealed that following Markle’s 2018 royal wedding, her new team allegedly wrote to a publicist saying, “Make sure [the publicist] knows that she can still send me anything. She has always been one of the good ones.” As reported by The Mirror, the author also claimed that the Duchess loved to receive gifts when she ran her now-defunct blog, The Tig. She penned, “She [Meghan] won a reputation among the marketers of luxury brands of being warmly interested in receiving bags of designer swag.”

Speaking to The Washington Post, Brown detailed Markle’s alleged penchant for living a plush celebrity life. She said, “They wanted to be able to have a commercial arm to their activities…Meghan certainly saw the deals that were there to be made because they were royals.” She added, “It is as though she couldn't resist everything that was on offer on the celebrity buffet. A hunger to avail herself of the global leverage, to live in glorious houses without strings attached.”

Markle, however, isn't alone in being unable to resist expensive gifts to add to her luxurious lifestyle. Her husband, Harry, was also reportedly ‘desperate’ to receive his £8 million birthday gift left by the Queen Mother for his 40th birthday. Royal expert Hugo Vickers told The Sun, “No doubt that would be helpful because I think he leads a very expensive lifestyle…£8 million can disappear pretty fast in a place like Montecito if you have an enormous staff, a big house to maintain, and cars.” The expert also believed the Sussexes' excessive spending also fuels their large number of start-up projects. Vickers also noted Harry's spending on security and fighting legal battles, which the Prince seems to take ‘very seriously.’

Royal author Tom Bower echoed Brown's claims on Markle's alleged desire to live an opulent lifestyle. As reported by The Mirror, Bower alleged, "Meghan wants to be a billionaire celebrity and Harry doesn't understand that world, other than [understanding that] Meghan wants to be famous.” He added about Harry, "He's spent his whole life never having a penny in his pocket…So he doesn't understand where she's coming from, which is that she worked phenomenally hard, struggled hard, and was constantly humiliated." The author further alleged that the Sussexes' marriage is at a ‘tipping point’ following their royal exit. He suggests this may be why the Duchess wants to pursue a 'billionaire celebrity' path, in the event of a divorce.