It's the financial scandal that just keeps on giving. As the Royal Family prepares to face a formal parliamentary audit into its sprawling property deals this summer, new details are emerging about Prince Harry and Meghan's own money situation — and what their departure from The Firm really cost them.
Life Outside The Palace Walls: 'More Challenging In Some Respects'
Sources close to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have opened up to the Mirror about the realities of their self-funded life in America, admitting that going it alone has not been without its difficulties. No Sovereign Grant, no rent-free properties, no publicly funded household staff — just two former working royals building their own empire from scratch. And while that comes with genuine independence, it also comes with a very real price tag.
Frogmore Cottage: Setting The Record Straight
Cast your mind back to 2020, and the furore over the £2.4 million taxpayer-funded renovation of Frogmore Cottage was near-deafening. Harry and Meghan were widely accused of being pressured into repaying the costs — but their inner circle is now pushing back firmly on that narrative. The couple had, according to those close to them, already factored repayment into their plans long before the public outcry reached fever pitch. By 2023, Buckingham Palace confirmed all financial obligations relating to the property had been fulfilled. The cottage has since sat largely empty, with reports this week suggesting it may soon be subdivided back into its original format.
"Harry and Meghan always believed that repaying the money for Frogmore was the right thing to do. Many people have suggested they had to be pressured into it, but the reality is that they had already factored repayment into their plans when they decided to step away from the institution."
Andrew, Edward And The Peppercorn Problem
If Harry and Meghan were once the lightning rod for royal financial controversy, the spotlight has now swung decisively toward other members of the family. Prince Andrew's sweetheart rental deal on the vast Royal Lodge mansion — described as a "peppercorn" arrangement — drew fierce public criticism before he was eventually forced to vacate. Meanwhile, Prince Edward is reportedly enjoying a similarly generous subsidised arrangement on Bagshot Park, his 120-room estate. It's the kind of revelation that makes the Sussexes' full market-rate repayment look rather principled by comparison.
William And Kate: Reading The Room
With the Public Accounts Committee launching a formal audit into the Crown Estate's property arrangements this summer, royal expert Duncan Larcombe — former royal editor at The Sun and author of Prince Harry: The Inside Story — believes only two senior royals are successfully reading the public mood right now: William and Kate. The Prince and Princess of Wales independently funded all modifications to their new "forever home," Forest Lodge, which they moved into last autumn, and are understood to be paying full market rent. In an era of intense scrutiny, it's a calculated and quietly powerful statement.
