Since Queen Elizabeth II's passing, many questions have arisen about the inheritances and who has received her wealth and jewelry within the British royal family. While her will remains private, reports have surfaced regarding which royal family members have inherited parts of her estate and fortune. This situation highlights the complexities of royal inheritance.
When Prince William became the Prince of Wales—an honor he received upon his father becoming King—he was set to inherit the Duchy of Cornwall, which now boasts assets exceeding $1 billion. In contrast, his brother, Prince Harry, is expected to see an increase of $8.5 million to his wealth. However, critics argue that Harry's various tell-all projects complicate the public's perception of William witnessing his sibling receiving funds from the Queen Mother.
According to a Hollywood source, the Sussexes had signed a $48 million Netflix deal. However, they only banked about $22.3 million from that agreement. They also received an estimated $4.45 million annually to cover their overheads, keeping a small portion for personal use. As for Spotify, the original figure the platform reportedly planned to pay them was $29.8 million. Unfortunately, when the streamer parted ways with them in 2023, it was revealed that they hadn’t met the productivity benchmarks required to receive the full payout from the deal.
The real significant asset in all of this was Harry's memoir, for which he reportedly received a $29.8 million advance. The current estimated total value of this memoir now stands at $71 million. Although the Duke may have a much heftier personal bank account today than he did five years ago, it seems the focus remains on his celebration.
In the months leading up to Harry's birthday, there was buzz about party preparations. Meghan expressed her desire to throw a lavish Hollywood party for his 40th birthday, emphasizing its importance to her as a chance to showcase her happy husband and their star-studded life in California. However, just weeks ago, it appeared that Harry's old friends from the UK might not attend, creating some drama. Reports indicated that his royal cousins were undecided about flying over for the celebration. Meanwhile, Meghan has been struggling to secure A-list attendees.
Over the last few years, Meghan had assumed that Harry wouldn't mind spending a significant amount of money to properly celebrate his milestone birthday. She hopes that soon-to-be-acquired family inheritance from the Queen Mother, as part of her secretive will, would support this grand celebration.
Speculation surrounding whether Harry would accept the funds he’s been given—given that he is no longer a working royal—has circulated for some time. However, it seems he will not turn down the money, as it has been in place for years. That said, Harry was reportedly taken aback by the amount Meghan wanted to spend on the party, clearly indicating he didn’t want to waste the money. Instead, he expressed a desire to set aside the inheritance for their future, particularly for their children.
It has been reported that William and his wife, Princess Catherine, were left feeling disgusted by Harry's share of the inheritance. The couple believes the Duke is undeserving of such a hefty sum. Nevertheless, this significant financial boost will be a welcome addition to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s net worth, which currently stands at an estimated $90 million.
Meanwhile, King Charles may feel relieved knowing that Prince Harry will be financially secure for a while, reducing the likelihood of him writing further memoirs attacking the royal family. Over the past three months, the King has been too busy to see Harry, and reports suggest that Harry has not spoken to his brother, Prince William, in two years. It remains unclear if an invitation to Charles's coronation will be extended to Harry.
As Harry’s story has been recounted numerous times, public interest has waned. The days of securing eight or nine-figure deals seem to be behind him. However, perhaps today his soul feels lighter and freer, having shared his perspective with the world—even if it came at an exorbitant personal cost.
