Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped down as senior working royals in 2020 and currently live in California. As working royals, the majority of of their money came from Harry's father, King Charles, reports the BBC. Now, without that source of income, Harry and Meghan make their money through a variety of other ventures and are said to be financially independent. In their interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021, Harry said that the money he inherited from his late mother, Princess Diana, made their move to the US possible. "I've got what my mum left me and without that we wouldn't have been able to do this," he said at the time.
After they stepped down from their royal duties, the Duke of Sussex's family "literally cut me off financially," he said at the time. He admitted that they partnered with companies because they "had to afford security for us."
Since then, Harry and Meghan have been involved in different projects, some of which have been more successful and lucrative than others.
Podcasts
When Harry and Meghan's Archewell Audio partnered with Spotify at the end of 2020, they were meant to create multiple programs, but they only created one series, Archetypes, before Spotify, Prince Harry, and Meghan Markle announced their "mutual decision" to end their partnership in 2023. They had reportedly signed a contract for $20 million, but likely did not receive all that money, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Despite this experience, Harry and Meghan didn't give up on podcasting entirely. Meghan announced in February 2024 that she has established a partnership with Lemonada Media to both re-release Archetypes and start a new podcast. However, reports suggest that the podcasting initiative might be delayed, reported Daily Mail.
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Netflix
Harry and Meghan signed a multi-year deal with Netflix in 2020 and were reportedly offered about $100 million, according to Us Weekly. In June 2023, The Sun reported that Harry and Meghan had allegedly only been paid about half of that. A source told the publication that "the remainder of the deal relies on them producing those good ideas."
So far, Archewell Productions has produced Harry & Meghan and Heart of Invictus. In April 2024, Netflix announced two new nonfiction series from Archewell Productions: one "curated" by Meghan that "celebrates the joys of cooking, gardening, entertaining, and friendship," and one that "offers unprecedented access to the world of professional polo."
Meghan's Lifestyle Brand
In March 2024, Meghan started an Instagram account for American Riviera Orchard, her new lifestyle brand. Though she has teased the brand on social media, it's unclear when it will launch. She's expected to sell items like jellies, jams, nut-based spreads, home decor, and cosmetics, reported Harper's Bazaar.
Harry's Memoir
Harry's memoir, Spare, is among the couple's more successful pursuits. About 3.2 million copies were sold during the week it was released, according to livemint.com, and there are rumors that there might be more books in the future. He reportedly received a $20 million advance for Spare, reported the BBC.
Meghan also published her own children's book, The Bench.
Acting
Meghan was an actress before she married Prince Harry, and the BBC reports that she made about $50,000 per episode of Suits. According to the outlet, she was on more than 100 episodes. Livemint.com estimates that she made about $2 million from working on Suits.
Tech Firm Work
BetterUp, a coaching platform, boasts that Prince Harry is chief impact officer. What does he do for the company? One employee alleged that he actually does "zero things," according to Daily Mail, but in 2023, the outlet reported that Harry was making a seven-figure salary. That year, the company laid off more than 100 employees, reported Sky News. As chief impact officer, Harry speaks at various events, such as BetterUp’s Uplift summit in April 2024.
The Archewell Foundation
Harry and Meghan also created their own organization, The Archewell Foundation. The organization exists to "partner with key organizations and leaders to identify immediate needs, build meaningful initiatives, and drive long-term change," according to its website.
"We meet the moment by showing up, taking action and using our unparalleled spotlight to uplift and unite communities — local and global — through acts of service and compassion," the organization's website states. Through the organization, Harry and Meghan support a variety of causes and reportedly do not take in salaries, according to Tatler.
Sussex Website
Harry and Meghan also recently launched their Sussex.com website. The website lists the projects, ventures, and organizations they're involved in and notes that they are "shaping the future through business and philanthropy."
Check out our Meghan Markle page for all the latest news about Meghan, Prince Harry, and their growing family.
