Prince Harry, once the "Golden Boy" of the British Monarchy, now seems relegated to the status of the poor cousin.
If there were a reality show called Keeping Up with the Royal Cousins, Harry might find himself sitting in the corner, lamenting his misfortunes as he watches Zara Tindall flaunt her wealth like a glittering beacon of success. Royal commentator Daniela Elser recently highlighted this disparity in her column, painting a picture of Harry’s financial struggles compared to his more successful cousins.
While Harry and Meghan Markle have been pursuing lucrative deals with Netflix and Spotify, Zara, daughter of Princess Anne and niece of King Charles, has been busy working hard and amassing her own fortune. According to Elser, Zara’s wealth, estimated at £44 million, is a product of her dedication and skill as an equestrian.
Elser’s scathing analysis suggests that Harry’s financial situation is far bleaker than the glamorous deals might suggest. She posits that Harry may have burned his bridges with the British royal family—potentially sacrificing his relationships with Buckingham Palace and Clarence House for the pursuit of wealth. In return, he and Meghan may have ended up with far less than expected. The image of Harry weeping over dwindling bank statements is hard to shake, especially when compared to the fortunes of his royal cousins.
Let’s break down the numbers. Since stepping down from royal duties in 2020, Harry and Meghan signed a highly publicized Netflix deal reportedly worth $100 million. Impressive, right? However, Elser claims that the couple has only seen around $16.8 million from that deal so far. Adding to the financial uncertainty, they reportedly receive around £3.5 million annually through their charitable organization, Archewell Foundation, though how much of that ends up as personal income is unclear. According to Elser’s estimates, the couple’s total fortune might amount to a mere £14.6 million—a stark contrast to the wealth of their royal cousins.
Take, for example, Zara’s brother, Peter Phillips, who reportedly boasts a net worth of over £22.9 million. And Princess Beatrice, while her finances remain a bit mysterious, is married to property developer Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, whose company has transformed over 400,000 square feet of London real estate, generating an eye-watering $1.3 billion in gross development value. While Zara and Peter have worked for their fortunes, Harry and Meghan’s business model seems to rely more on litigation and leveraging their royal titles for fame and profit. The question arises: Have they ever considered taking on traditional jobs? It appears not.
Harry’s personal wealth, once a glittering cache of royal inheritance, now looks rather modest in comparison to his family’s fortunes. Meghan, too, doesn’t seem to have brought significant financial assets into the marriage. Despite her stint as a briefcase girl on Deal or No Deal and her minor role on Suits, her earnings were hardly enough to sustain the lifestyle they now seem to crave. The couple’s extravagant spending, combined with Meghan’s penchant for luxury and high expectations, is likely straining their financial resources.
Adding to their woes, Harry has been fighting to regain his royal security—a costly endeavor. It raises the question: Are the couple’s finances being stretched thin? Despite her fans' claims that Meghan brought a fortune into the marriage, her prior income from acting was relatively modest. Now, Harry faces the harsh reality of being "nearly broke" compared to his thriving royal relatives.
As Harry adjusts to his new reality as the "poor cousin," one can’t help but wonder what the future holds for him and Meghan. With their expensive tastes and diminishing bank accounts, they may soon need to rethink their strategy—or perhaps even start a new venture, like selling lemonade on the side, to keep pace with the likes of Zara Tindall and Peter Phillips.
