Harry and Meghan Face a Major Financial Challenge Amid Royal Property Audit
An insider says that although life without royal support has been difficult for the Sussexes, it comes with a silver lining.
After Prince Harry and Meghan Markle pulled the plug on royal life in 2020, they were left to fend for themselves after the late Queen Elizabeth rejected their 'half in, half out' quasi-royal deal. Since stepping back, the couple has launched several business ventures, from a multimillion-dollar book deal and a lifestyle brand to a high-profile Netflix partnership that now hangs in the balance. Amid speculation about their finances, a source claims it has been 'challenging,' with the Sussexes lacking access to Sovereign Grant funding and the Firm's extensive property portfolio enjoyed by some other non-working royals.
As the House of Windsor faces audits over leasing its vast estates to family members below commercial rates, an insider close to the Sussexes has commented on the matter. They told The Mirror that "in some respects, it is undoubtedly more challenging" for the pair since becoming financially independent after leaving the firm. They argued, "[The couple] no longer have a sovereign grant to support them nor access to multiple homes maintained at public expense, whether through rent-free arrangements or nominal rents."
However, they added, "But what they [Harry and Markle] do have is an independent and entirely self-funded life—one that nobody else has to pay for and nobody else needs to worry about funding." Indeed, when Harry and Markle stepped back as senior royals, their abrupt exit triggered public criticism over the eye-watering amount of taxpayer money spent to renovate their former home, Frogmore Cottage. Now, sources assert that the couple had already paid back the expenses without anyone asking them to.
They stressed, "Harry and Meghan always believed that repaying the money for Frogmore was the right thing to do. Many people have suggested they had to be pressured into it, but the reality is that they had already factored repayment into their plans when they decided to step away from the institution." The royal family is currently facing intense scrutiny over controversial "peppercorn rent" agreements—symbolic, ultra-low fees like the one paid by the now-disgraced Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor during his time at Royal Lodge. Prince Edward is also said to have a similar arrangement for his residence at Bagshot Park.
Reflecting on the initial outcry that Harry and Markle faced, royal expert Duncan Larcombe noted the reaction was a catalyst for accountability. He explained, "That resentment set a precedent for the rest of the royal addresses. It has since been compounded by Prince Andrew and the peppercorn rent disclosures, which have turned into a genuine, ongoing scandal." With the Crown Estate's property arrangements now facing formal review, questions once directed almost exclusively at Harry and Meghan have expanded to include other members of the royal family. The debate is no longer just about the Sussexes' finances, but about how royal homes are funded and whether the same standards should apply across the board.
