'Downsize and Think Again': 'High Maintenance' Meghan Markle Is Causing 'Financial Problems' in Her Marriage to Prince Harry

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are "groveling for attention," as both reportedly live above their means in their Montecito mansion.

"What is remarkable is how they end up ridiculed in Hollywood, how they're ignored in New York, how, in fact, they have to grovel for attention, and that, of course, is why they now face these financial problems, if not a crisis," royal author Tom Bower told an outlet.

Bower's insight comes after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were both mocked by comedian Jo Koy at the Golden Globe Awards on Sunday, January 7.

"Succession has nine nominations. Just a great series about a rich, white, dysfunctional family, all scheming — oh, wait, that's The Crown. I'm sorry," he joked before adding, "Harry and Meghan Markle got paid millions for doing absolutely nothing. And that's just by Netflix."

Koy's dig at the ex-working royals continues a streak of Tinseltown personalities "turning" on the duo ever since Spotify canceled their contract last June. With 2024 not starting any differently than the pair's "disastrous" 2023, it seems that Harry and Meghan may also have more to worry about than jokes from comics.

"They've set themselves up to live like royals, but their income is pretty limited," Bower added.

"Meghan is a very high-maintenance woman; she likes to live a high lifestyle [with] a high standard and the money isn't coming in. We saw from their charity [that] they couldn't raise money at all last year," the royal commentator observed.

Bower continued: "So I really think they're facing a financial crisis, it was absolutely predictable, and where they go from there, they would probably have to downsize and think again."

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex experienced more "pitfalls" last year than can be counted on two hands. But it was arguably the shift in how Hollywood assessed the pair that garnered the most attention. Harry and Meghan went through a "freeze out" in the City of Angels that seemed to be thawing out before the arrival of Omid Scobie's book, Endgame, in late November.

But before the "royal racists" controversy attached to that tome was even factored in, The Hollywood Reporter, arguably Tinseltown's preeminent news source, called them two of 2023's "biggest losers."

"In 2020, the royal duo fled a life of ceremonial public service to cash in their celebrity status in the States. But after a whiny Netflix documentary, a whiny biography (Spare — even the title is a pouty gripe), and an inert podcast, the Harry and Meghan brand swelled into a sanctimonious bubble just begging to be popped — and South Park was the pin. The show’s 20-minute 'World-Wide Privacy Tour' takedown in March was savage, and was followed by Spotify dropping (Meghan’s podcast) 'Archetypes,' with a top executive labeling the duo 'grifters,'" the publication shared.

Daily Express reported on Bower's comments.