In March 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex abandoned the free excavations at Frogmore Cottage and earmarked $5 million a year for royal public functions, which begs the question, how can Harry and Meghan afford their American dream?
“I have what my mother left me, and without it, we couldn’t have done it,” Prince Harry told Oprah Winfrey in 2021.
At the time of her death, Princess Diana’s estate was worth $15.8 million, an amount she split with her brother, Prince William.
Prince Harry also received millions from his grandmother, the Queen Mother, who died in 2002.
The couple’s Montecito, California mansion is foreclosed on and their security equipment is said to cost more than $3 million a year.
Doing the math, it looks like the couple decided to do what most Americans do: roll up their sleeves and get to work.
You have to work
Since moving to warmer climes, the couple signed a $100 million deal with Netflix and launched their own podcast, Archewell Audio, with Spotify on a three-year, $18 million deal.
It is also reported that they are winning $1 million in a letter through Harry Walker, a senior booking agent.
Prince Harry said deals with Netflix and Spotify were “never part of the plan” but after the royal family cut it off, he had to support his family.
“This is what someone else suggested when my family really cut me off financially,” he said.
So far, the deal with Netflix has resulted in the six episodes Harry and Meghan and Live to Lead, a documentary based on the life of Nelson Mandela.
Both were produced under the banner of Archewell Productions, the couple’s company.
Two Steps Forward, One Step Back
After sharp drops in stock and the loss of subscribers, Netflix has quietly removed its list of nominees, including Pearl, an animated series voiced by Megan, who will also executive produce along with David Furnish, Elton’s husband. John.
Despite this setback, the couple doesn’t have to eat canned pasta.
Spur’s memoir is not only one of the best-selling books of all time, but her deal with publisher Penguin Random House netted Harry $20 million.
And while no official numbers have been reported, the three-book deal is set to raise more than $1 million in stipends.
In March 2021, Prince Harry was appointed as an “Impact Director” of lifestyle advisory firm BetterUp in California, although his compensation, if any, was not disclosed.
“Look, I’ll be honest, I had no idea about BetterUp before I moved to the United States,” he said. “For me, the role of Director of Impact at BetterUp is 100 percent related to the promotion and outreach of mental fitness.”
During her acting career, Meghan was reportedly paid $50,000 per episode for her small role in the legal drama Suits, which she appeared in more than 100 episodes.
She also ran a lifestyle blog and designed items for a Canadian fashion brand.
Harry also said that he suspects that his mother “saw it coming,” referring to the backlash he and his future wife would face.
“I’m really relieved and happy to be sitting here talking to you with my wife by my side, because I can’t imagine what it must have been like for [Diana] to go through this process all those years ago,” Prince said. Harry said.
“Because it was incredibly difficult for both of us.”
Therefore, paying the bills is not a concern since they were reduced, until now.
It is not yet known if Prince Harry kept anything from Queen Elizabeth, whose personal net worth has been estimated at between $500 million and $600 million, with other assets tied to real estate and stocks worth hundreds of millions.