How Much Prince Harry Is Really Worth
Born Henry Charles Albert David in 1984, the Duke of Sussex has come a long way since his party boy days. Remember the time he drank champagne out of a prosthetic leg? Or the time his nude pics in Vegas leaked? Or the time he went to rehab for a single day? There was the time he hurt his ankle by jumping off a balcony hours before Prince Williams' wedding. Oh, and let's not forget that fight with paparazzi outside a London nightclub.
He's settled down with Meghan Markle now and has to be an upstanding member of the royal family, and part of that responsibility is knowing how to manage money. Spoiler: He'll be fine. From his multiple inheritances and his military salary, to his yearly allowance provided by dear old dad and his wife's substantial wealth, let's add it all up to see how much Prince Harry is really worth.
Inheritance from mom
Following her tragic death in 1997, Princess Diana's will ensured her two sons and their families would be set up for life through a Discretionary Fund that managed assets such as intellectual property, apparel, and accumulated income, reported The Balance. "The Discretionary Fund is to be held for a 'Perpetuity Period' which will last until 21 years after the death of the last surviving descendant of his late Majesty King George VI who was living on the date of Princess Diana's death."
Additionally, an estate was created for Prince William and Prince Harry and held in trust until their 30th birthdays, and by that time, the estate had reportedly grown to $16 million. Diana's sons both started receiving dividends when they turned 25, earning Harry $450,000 a year, according to Esquire. The brothers also inherited their mother's private jewel collection, though its value remains unknown to this day.
Inheritance from great-grandma
When Queen Mother Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon died in 2002, she bequeathed her estate to her only living child, Queen Elizabeth II. However, $18 million was left to Prince William and Harry to share, and since the rules pertaining to the British monarchy's money are complicated, the bulk of that dough went into a trust for Harry. Why not Wills? "The reasoning was that the family knew he wouldn't inherit any money from the Duchy of Cornwall, which will pass to William when Charles becomes king," reported the Express. "The older brother will also benefit financially in other ways when he inherits the throne."
According to the Express, the Duchy of Cornwall is a "well-managed private estate, which was established by Edward III in 1337. The revenues from the estate are passed to HRH The Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall, who chooses to use them to fund his public, charitable and private activities and those of his family." It's reportedly worth $1.1 billion. Does Harry get access to any of that money? Why yes, he does...
Allowance from dad
So about that Duchy of Cornwall: The "charitable and private activities and those of his family" include a staggering $6.8 million annual allowance "to cover the costs of staffing, travel and the official wardrobes" of Harry, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and now Meghan Markle. According to a 2016 article in the New Zealand Herald, William's week-long trip to Japan and China cost about $163,000 and a trip with Kate to New York supposedly cost $40,000. As for Harry, the Herald said he spent roughly $135,000 traveling with his staff to Brazil and Chile.
Do Prince Harry and his brother pay for anything out of pocket? Um, maybe. "The $6.8 million figure doesn't account for refurbishment costs at William and Kate's Anmer Hall home nor does it cover wages paid to the couple's personal staff," reported the Herald.
An army paycheck
Military service for members of the British royal family is not required, but Harry completed a 10-year career in the British Army in 2015. Though many were adamant that he shouldn't serve in Iraq or Afghanistan, the prince was having none of that.
"If they said 'No, you can't go frontline' then I wouldn't drag my sorry arse through Sandhurst and I wouldn't be where I am now," he said in 2005. "The last thing I want to do is have my soldiers away to Iraq or wherever like that and for me to be held back home."
Harry published a piece in The Times about his experience in Afghanistan. "...I saw some horrendous things: the tragic injuries and deaths of local people from roadside bombs, some of whom were children; coalition forces lying on the battlefield; and the constant ferrying of injured personnel to the hospital... Radioing in the details of their injury to the hospital (which sometimes included the phrase 'Op vampire,' when the casualty would need a lot of blood — it still sends shivers down my spine), or lying in bed late at night while our accommodation shook from the downforce of the Chinook and Black Hawk helicopters, was a constant reminder of what was happening all around. See it, smell it, hear it, feel it, there was no escaping it."
His salary was $45,000 per year.
An independently wealthy wife
Now that Meghan Markle is an official member of the royal family, her life will change in a big way, but make no mistake, she wasn't looking for a sugar daddy. She's rich in her own right.
The Duchess of Sussex will not be returning to her role as paralegal-turned-lawyer Rachel Zane on Suits, but she walked away with a tidy sum from her time on the USA series. According to the Daily Mail, Markle earned $50,000 per episode and $450,000 per year as an actress. Her movie career wasn't as lucrative, but she still made bank. In 2010, the actress was reportedly paid $187,000 for Remember Me and $171,429 for The Candidate. According to Celebrity Net Worth, she's accumulated an estimated $5 million.
Though she's no longer acting, Markle's economic power is greater than ever. According to The New York Times, she "could contribute [about $209 million] annually simply to British fashion in the form of unofficial endorsements." For example, when Markle was photographed carrying a Strathberry bag, "traffic to the Scottish company's website rose 5,000 percent." When she wore black jeans by Hiut Denim, the company had to move "to a bigger factory to fulfill demand." Our point: It doesn't look like Markle will be a drain on her husband's wallet or the British economy.
A future inheritance from grandma
It stands to reason that Harry will inherit at least some of Queen Elizabeth II's wealth when she passes. What's that look like? Well, the royal family isn't big on discussing money, but in 2002, the queen inherited her mother's entire estate, which was valued at $93 million at the time. And when we say "entire," we mean "entire."
"A special legal clause exempts the Queen from paying inheritance tax on the estate," the BBC reported. That's a 40 percent tax, by the way. Whew, we were scared for a second that the royals might lose a pound.
According to Forbes, the Queen has an estimated net worth of $500 million "that comes from property holdings including Balmoral Castle in the Scottish Highlands, stud farms, a fruit farm and marine land throughout the U.K.; extensive art and fine jewelry; and one of the world's largest stamp collections built by her grandfather."
A future inheritance from dad
First in line to the throne, Prince Charles has generated a substantial fortune during his lifetime. According to the Business Insider, he has a reported net worth of $100 million (with some estimates as high as $400 million). As you might have guessed, the vast majority of his wealth flows from the Duchy of Cornwall, which paid him $25 million in 2016. That same year, his total assets reached nearly $1.3 billion.
Prince Charles is also an entrepreneur, founding Duchy Originals, an organic food company in 1990. "The company made a profit of £2.25 million ($3 million) after its joint venture with Waitrose in September 2010," reported The Richest. "Duchy Originals had plans to launch the food brand in America and India as part of a five-year plan to quadruple yearly turnover from $66 million to $267 million."
At some point down the line, Prince Harry and his brother will likely split the bulk of their father's tremendous wealth.
Their combined net worth
Now that we know how Harry and Meghan earned their money, let's figure out their combined net worth following their historic wedding. The Duchess of Sussex brings about $5 million to the table, but what's in her husband's wallet depends on who you ask. Prince Harry "is royally rich, though his net worth is hard to nail down because some of his family's fortune is kept private from the public," reported Money. "While there are a lot of guesses out there ... $25 million is the conservative estimate."
If Markle decides to become a dual citizen instead of renouncing her U.S. citizenship, we could learn a lot more about her husband's bottom line. Why? Because she'll have to file a tax return with the good ol' IRS, and that could potentially allow Uncle Sam to peek inside the royal family's books and "open up the secretive finances of the royal family to outside scrutiny," reported The Washington Post.
Regardless, it's safe to say that these newlyweds are probably worth at least $30 million with more to come. We hope they find a way to get by.