Fresh fears for Harry and Meghan as royal finances face major probe | Royal | News
Harry and Meghan become financially independent after stepping away from royal life (Image: Getty)
New questions are being raised about royal finances as the House of Windsor prepares for a major audit examining property arrangements and financial dealings linked to members of the Royal Family.
The review is expected to examine how Crown Estate properties were rented to the royal family, including arrangements that allowed some family members to occupy homes at below-market prices.
The development has reignited debate about the financial support members of the monarchy receive and whether more transparency is needed.
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Frogmore Cottage remains at the center of long-running financial dispute (Image: Getty)
Sources close to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have spoken out as scrutiny over the royal finances intensifies, arguing that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex already face many of the questions now being leveled at the wider institution, the Mirror reports.
The couple stepped back from royal duties in 2020 and became financially independent, losing access to public finances and royal housing arrangements.
A source close to the Sussexes told the Mirror: “It’s undoubtedly more challenging in some ways.”
They added: “They no longer have a Government Grant to support them or access to multiple homes maintained at public expense, whether through rent-free deals or nominal rents.
“But what they have is a life that is independent and entirely self-financed, a life that no one pays for and no one has to worry about finances.”
The source also argued that working members of the Royal Family should be subject to the same level of scrutiny as other publicly funded institutions.
The debate over royal finances first intensified following criticism of the taxpayer-funded renovation of Frogmore Cottage, Harry and Meghan’s former home in the United Kingdom.
The couple later repaid the £2.4 million spent on renovating the property and paid market rent. A Palace spokesman confirmed they had met their financial obligations for the country house in 2023.
Sources close to the couple claim that they planned to pay for the renovation from the very beginning.
“Harry and Meghan always believed paying Frogmore the money back was the right thing to do,” a source told the Mirror.
“Many people said they should have been pressured into this, but the reality was that they had already factored repayment into their plans when they decided to leave the institution.”
Attention has since turned to other royal residences and the circumstances of their occupation.
Particular focus was placed on the arrangements surrounding the Royal Lodge, formerly occupied by Prince Andrew, and Bagshot Park, Prince Edward’s home. Reports that some properties were being rented at deeply discounted prices have fueled calls for greater accountability.
Royal commentator Duncan Larcombe told the Mirror that public attitudes towards royal finances have changed significantly in recent years.
“It was one of the first big times that Harry and Meghan were criticized,” he said, referring to the Frogmore Cottage controversy.
“This resentment set a precedent for the rest of the royal conversations. It has since been exacerbated by the revelations of Prince Andrew and the pepper rent, which have escalated into a genuine, ongoing scandal.”
Larcombe suggested that the Prince and Princess of Wales were more responsive to public expectations regarding financial transparency.
The royal expert pointed to reports that Prince William and Princess Kate were paying full market rent for their family home, arguing that such arrangements helped protect them from criticism.
But the wider debate extends beyond individual royals and raises wider questions about the relationship between the monarchy, the Royal Estate and public finances.
Larcombe described the issue as “a real hot potato” and noted that debates over who should pay for royal residences continue to divide public opinion.
The upcoming audit is expected to refocus on these questions; Campaigners and royal watchers are awaiting further details on how royal property regulations work and whether any reforms could follow.
Buckingham Palace has been contacted for comment.
