Harry Meghan Markle Accused Of Overestimating Prince Harry's Wealth

Harry Meghan Markle Accused Of Overestimating Prince Harry's Wealth

When Meghan Markle married Prince Harry, many believed she was stepping into a world of endless riches. But reports now say that the Duchess of Sussex may have overestimated Prince Harry's wealth. Instead of the billionaire lifestyle people assume comes with the royal family, it turns out Harry is a humble millionaire—a fact that may have surprised even Meghan. Her expectations reportedly fell short, especially after leaving the United States to join her husband in the United Kingdom.

Being the younger sibling of the future king, Prince Harry naturally lives with some royal comforts. But the couple's life has faced intense scrutiny from the public and media. Many questions have been raised about their choices, especially after their decision to step back from royal duties. From the outside, it looked like marrying into billions, but the truth seems a little less glamorous. Their married life is now more grounded, revealing a clear gap between public perception and the contextually real-world financial situation they live in.

Royal Insider Claims Meghan Markle Was Shocked At Prince Harry's Net Worth

When Meghan Markle gave up her flourishing acting career and moved to the UK, she believed her new royal life would come with incredible luxury. According to Tom Quinn in his book Yes, Ma’am: The Secret Life of Royal Servants, Meghan was allegedly taken aback after she learned that Prince Harry, despite being the brother of a future king, was far from a billionaire. Instead, he was worth only £20 million, which came as a shock to her. She had expected Prince Harry to be a billionaire, but this revelation prompted her to reassess her assumptions about the royal family and the life she imagined.

What made things more real was that the couple lived in the modest Nottingham Cottage at Kensington Palace, with no live-in staff a world away from the grandeur of Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle. Meghan also discovered that her ex-husband Trevor Engelson had married a multi-millionaire heiress, adding another contrast to her expectations. 

At the time of her marriage to Prince Harry, Meghan’s net worth was about $5 million, according to the Daily Mail. The royal lifestyle wasn’t as over-the-top as it looked from the outside, but it certainly came with its own unique challenges and eye-opening realities.

Meghan Reportedly Became Sensitive On Harry's Behalf

After moving into the modest Nottingham Cottage, Meghan reportedly felt it was a slight against her husband, Harry. According to Quinn, this living situation caused dissatisfaction, especially when compared to the more lavish homes of Prince William and Kate Middleton. A member of Palace staff even suggested this was when Meghan's troubles began, as the accommodations made her feel the Royal Family viewed Harry as less significant. It wasn’t just about space—it was about how they saw his role.

Over time, Meghan's perspective illuminated Harry's position in the family. She began to see him as the “spare” to William, a realization that deepened after their marriage. One insider shared that she quickly recognized Harry was not central to royal matters, and this sparked a sense of grievance. While Harry had not considered his role as a spare before, Meghan's sensitivity on his behalf made her believe he was being treated as less important. Her quiet defense of him was born not from drama, but from love and awareness.

Inside Prince Harry's Eight-Figure Inheritance

When Prince Harry celebrated his 40th birthday, it wasn’t just a personal milestone—it also brought him a financial boost. He received an $8.5 million inheritance, a gift that had been arranged by his late great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. The timing wasn’t random; it was a planned release of funds tied to his age, part of a larger inheritance structure created long before Harry or Meghan made their move away from royal life.

According to the New York Post, this inheritance came from a $90 million trust fund. The fund had been established for the family, with clear conditions. It specifically stipulated that Harry could access his share upon turning 40, ensuring he would benefit from the legacy at a mature stage in life. This financial backing stood apart from any royal salaries or duties and was not affected by the couple’s decision to step away from their senior roles.

There were initial concerns about whether Harry would need to pay taxes on the money. However, investment experts from Stocklytics confirmed that no such payments would be necessary. Because of how the Queen Mother’s estate was managed, the inheritance was protected. The key point was in the structure of the estate, which had been wisely planned years in advance to benefit future generations.

The firm noted that inheritance tax applied only to trusts created within seven years of an individual’s death. Since the Queen Mother passed away in 2002, and the trust was set up long before that, it stayed exempt from inheritance tax. This detail might sound technical, but it made a significant difference in the total amount Harry would receive.

Had the trust been created later, within that seven-year window, it could have resulted in a tax liability of up to $9.7 million, payable to HM Revenue & Customs. But in this case, Harry’s inheritance is not expected to be taxed, and he is likely to receive the full amount. For Harry and Meghan, whose financial independence has been a point of focus, this eight-figure inheritance marks a turning point and offers them even greater stability.

The Duke Of Sussex's Appeal Court Loss Cost Him $2 Million In Legal Fees

After a deafening loss at the court, Prince Harry was ordered to pay $2 million in legal expenses. The case, which he filed to reinstate his United Kingdom security detail, did not go in his favor. As reported by The Mirror, the legal defeat made the couple’s finances a matter of public knowledge, revealing not only the debt left behind by the legal proceedings but also the financial weight of their ongoing public journey.

Following their decision to step back from royal duties in 2020, Harry and Meghan moved to the United States and wasted no time securing high-value projects. They locked in a $100 million deal with Netflix, a strategic step that coincided with their departure from senior royal roles. The couple aimed to build a new financial identity separate from the crown, focusing on storytelling through film and television.

In addition to Netflix, they also signed a $20 million advance from Penguin Random House for a four-book deal, one of which includes Harry’s memoir “Spare.” Their business moves didn’t stop there. The couple continued to grow their brand with a $25 million deal with Spotify, leading to Meghan’s Archetypes podcast, a platform where Meghan explored themes of identity and stereotypes.

Even with these deals, their financial obligations didn’t disappear. With a Montecito home valued at $14 million and the effort to maintain their lifestyle, every investment counted. Their net worth, however, has reportedly climbed to around $60 million, reflecting the success of their content ventures and partnerships.

Back in May 2020, they also showed a sense of responsibility by announcing plans to reimburse $3 million in taxpayer money used to refurbish Frogmore Cottage. They committed to paying approximately $24,000 per month over the next decade, a move that demonstrated their dedication to balancing public expectations with personal accountability.

Prince Harry Says No More U.K. For Meghan Markle And Their Kids

After losing his case, Prince Harry faced more than legal defeat—he also experienced personal consequences. As mentioned by The Blast, the younger royal mourned the thought of his kids never setting foot in the U.K., simply because their security cannot be guaranteed by the Royal Family. This painful realization has led Harry to make a bold statement about his family’s future: they won’t be returning to live in the U.K. anytime soon.

The situation took a turn when the Royal and VIP Executive Committee made a hasty decision—they demoted him from a high-risk to a low-risk entity. This change happened even before the judgment that nailed the coffin, reflecting how fast the system moved to reshape Harry’s status. From the outside, it seemed bureaucratic, but for Harry, it felt deeply personal and unjustified.

According to the Prince's interpretation, this committee not only ignored but downplayed his safety concerns, making both him and his family vulnerable to potential attacks. For someone who spent most of his life under the scrutiny of global media and dealt with tragic loss, security isn’t just about protocol—it’s about peace of mind.

"I can't see a world in which I would be bringing my wife and children back to the U.K. at this point," Harry said. He further explained that his family would miss everything about the country, but their safety must come first. This emotional stance has changed the way the world sees their absence—it’s no longer just a decision of privacy or independence; it’s a matter of protection.

And while many wonder whether Meghan Markle marry up, or give up a possible high Hollywood lifestyle, the truth lies somewhere deeper. The life she chose with Harry includes sacrifices neither of them imagined. In choosing love and security, they’ve distanced themselves from both the Royal Family and the world Meghan once knew.