Meghan Markle is Holding the Sussexes' Finances Together — But It's Not Easy, Sources Say
With revenue streams drying up and inheritance money running out, Meghan Markle seems to have taken up the task to carve out new money flow for the family.
With a sprawling mansion in Montecito, a lifestyle brand, and privately funded international tours, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry seemed to be living a charmed life in California. However, the reality seems completely different, and far from the perceived dreamy fairytale that the world had been led to believe. It was reported a few weeks back that the Sussexes had been facing a monetary crisis. Now, reports suggest that Markle, who is “basically the breadwinner” of the family, has been forced to take drastic actions to ensure financial security.
Harry had previously spoken about relying on the inheritance money that his mother, Princess Diana, had left for him after moving to the US. The couple had reportedly used the money to fund private security. But soon after their controversial departure from the royal family, the Sussexes had signed multi-million dollar deals with Spotify and Netflix, with Markle even launching her own lifestyle brand, As Ever, in partnership with the latter. It seemed like the perfect happy ending.
However, the rather agonizing sequel was yet to come. The deals ended abruptly, Markle’s Netflix show was not renewed for a third season, and now it seems like the inheritance money, left to Harry by not only Diana but also his great-grandmother, the Queen Mother, is waning. It doesn’t paint a rosy picture, as a source told Page Six, that funds are “tight.” With revenue streams drying up and the inheritance money running out, it would certainly be difficult for Markle and Harry to maintain their lifestyle, which has them spend at least $6 million a year in operating expenses, out of which an estimated $3 million goes into private security, as per reports. The Sussexes also reportedly have to make mortgage payments on their $15 million mansion.
Harry has been engaging in several charity events, and while that is indeed a noble cause, it sadly doesn’t contribute to paying the bills. So it appears that Markle has taken up that responsibility. Last month, amidst their hectic Australia tour, Markle partnered with OneOff, an AI-driven shopping platform that gave her an opportunity to advertise her outfits from the tour and earn a portion of the profits. She joined a star-studded list of investors, including Kate Hudson, Emma Chamberlain, Suki Waterhouse, and Shay Mitchell. The Duchess was also notoriously a part of a girls’s weekend in Sydney hosted by "Her Best Life" podcast, for which she was reportedly paid up to $3,199. However, she ended up spending only two hours at the venue.
While Netflix may have cut ties with her brand As Ever, Markle has been taking the brand forward independently through select collaborations and new releases. She has also made a return to acting, via a cameo appearance in the upcoming film, Close Personal Friends. It was initially reported that the former "Suits" star was looking for a steady role in a TV show, but insiders denied this speculation.
It seems like Markle is trying her best to dredge the family up from financial struggles by carving out different revenue streams that would assure her of continued payments.
