This month marks six years since the Sussexes sensationally quite royal life, leaving the monarchy ‘blindsided’ when they laid their grievances bare in the most public of ways; lambasting their loved-ones through interviews, TV shows and Harry’s 2023 memoir, Spare.
The drama, naturally, saw Prince Harry and Meghan Markle rake in over $100 million in deals with Hollywood’s biggest power players including Netflix, Apple and Spotify, who were all lining up for a slice of the Sussex story.
But the past few years have seen the Royal Family face their darkest times to date and the tide has turned in favour of the monarchy; even Stateside, where Harry and Meghan had once been hailed as Montecito’s shiniest new golden couple.
Now, as their popularity continues to decline, the Sussexes are also said to be floundering when it comes to keeping their finances afloat. Meanwhile, a 2024/2025 report published by William’s estate, the Duchy of Cornwall, hit headlines last week and laid bare the Heir Apparent’s staggering annual salary, which stands at a cool $30 million.
And as their own woes mount, a source tells us how Meghan, 44, and Harry, 41, have been left ‘shocked’ by William’s income and what they believe to be a ‘massive double standard’ within the Royal Family.
An insider says, ‘From Harry and Meghan’s point of view it feels incredibly unfair and hypocritical. Anytime she and Harry get a big payday they get absolutely hammered from every direction and branded greedy.
‘Yet William can pull in $30 million and no one bats an eye or questions why he’s getting paid so much money. And he’s raking in more from other ventures alongside the Duchy of Cornwall; yet you never hear anyone complaining about him being money hungry the way they do about Meghan and Harry. The rules are completely different depending on which side of the family you’re on. It’s a massive double standard.’
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Meanwhile, the Sussexes haven’t been celebrating the best start to their New Year after it was revealed last month that Harry and Meghan have been forced to make redundancies at their Archewell Foundation because ‘it was costing them too much’.
The news also follows their signing of a lesser ‘First Look’ deal with Netflix in August as ratings for With Love, Meghan continued to decline. As of now, the cooking show has not been commissioned for a third series following the Christmas special.
And at a time for reflection, we’re told the conflicted couple have been forced to question their rash decision to quit royal life, and have even wondered whether they may have been better off, at least financially, staying put behind palace walls.
The source says, ‘No doubt it’s also raised some questions about what their own financial situation would look like now if they’d stayed in the system and played the long game instead of walking away.
‘That’s a hard pill to swallow, especially right now when cash flow is such an issue for them. Of course it’s triggered some very real jealousy. They genuinely believe they work just as hard, if not harder, for causes they care deeply about, yet the financial rewards don’t even come close. They’d never admit it publicly, but privately it’s galling to watch William and Kate cash in while they’re scrambling and still being painted as the villains.’
However, just because the Royal Family are required to provide a financial breakdown for the tax-payer funded Sovereign Grant, with the Duchy of Cornwall also releasing an Annual Review to Parliament, the source says the Wales’ have no intention of holding any ‘money-talks’ with the Sussexes.
‘William and Kate don’t feel they have to explain anything to Harry and Meghan, they don’t care one bit what they think,’ the insider says.
‘On the other hand, they do care what the British public thinks. It matters deeply to them that they’re seen as careful and responsible, that’s why William has pushed for far more transparency around finances and why so much emphasis is placed on showing where the money goes and how it’s used.
‘Earning the public trust at a time when every expenses scrutinized is seen as crucial if the monarchy is to survive and he’s also very aware that the only way to counter cynicism is to be of value in a very public facing way.’
Unlike Meghan and Harry, who recently attended Kris Jenner’s 70th birthday bash – a Bond-themed party at Jeff Bezos’ mansion reported to have cost up to $6.5 million – Kate, who will celebrate her 44th birthday on 9th Jan, and William, 43, have been very careful when it comes to how their lifestyle is perceived.
Preferring to stay at home with their three children – Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, seven – the couple are very rarely spotted at restaurants or at red carpet events outside of their official roles.
Up until October when they moved to the eight-bedroom Forest Lodge, the family of five had also lived modestly for royals, residing at Adelaide cottage, a four bedroom house on the Windsor Estate.
William is also believed to be at the forefront of the royals’ bid to ‘slim-line’ and ‘modernise’ the monarchy.
Now the source says, ‘He’s been the most vocal about how they all need to tighten their belts. He and Kate have intentionally cut back on staff, they’ve moved away from the culture of excess that’s always been the norm and live a fairly low-key life.
‘Frugal has never been in the family’s vocabulary, they’re certainly not living like paupers, but William has made a very conscious effort to tone the obscene spending down and to set that standard for the rest of the family. He and Kate take a real pride in being accountable and mindful when it comes to their money. That’s why any suggestion that they’re being wasteful, or that they don’t deserve this money, hits a nerve.’
Meanwhile, Meghan and Harry’s Montecito mansion is worth an estimated $29 million and boasts a library, gym, sauna, arcade, home cinema, pool and tennis courts.
And we’re told how William and Kate are determined to stay out of the drama as they look forward to the year ahead in their new home.
‘Now that things haven’t panned out for them, they’re turning around and questioning if William and Kate deserve what their earnings – it’s such an obvious case of sour grapes. William and Kate are both determined not to get sucked into the drama. They say they have nothing to justify, but that’s not going to stop Harry and Meghan from complaining or calling out this double standard, it’s so glaring to them they can’t stay silent.’
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