Are Prince Harry and Meghan Markle losing their royal lifestyle? Glamorous life hits a financial cliff as deals dry up

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s California dream may be losing its luster. According to a report by Radar Online, the couple is grappling with serious financial challenges. The once-glittering sheen of lucrative deals — a five-year $135 million contract with Netflix and a $20 million partnership with Spotify — appears to be fading fast. The Spotify agreement has already run its course, and sources claim the Netflix deal is teetering toward expiration without signs of renewal.

Royal commentator and former aide Norman Baker minced no words, telling Radar Online, “There’s no doubt in my mind that Meghan and Harry’s income is going to decline in the future. It’s declining now.” With no new blockbuster projects announced, Baker warned: “There is nothing else to come, nothing else to sell apart from themselves.”

A 'Palace' Under Pressure

Their financial obligations are daunting. The Sussexes’ sprawling Montecito estate carries a mortgage of $9.5 million, reportedly requiring monthly payments that could climb to $100,000. Add to that the costs of private security — a non-negotiable for a couple with royal status and global visibility. Former royal protection officer Simon Morgan estimated such security could cost as much as $4 million per year, noting, “Security is not a fashion accessory, it's a need.”

This lifestyle, once cushioned by royal support, now falls entirely on their own shoulders. Before their exit, Prince Charles’s Duchy of Cornwall funded them with nearly $3.1 million annually. Post-Megxit, their main financial buffer appears to be the inheritance left to Harry by his mother, Princess Diana — valued at $8.8 million at the time of her death and steadily growing since.

Staff Exodus and Strategic Spin

As their revenue stream dries up, so too does their once-formidable team. Reporter Rob Shuter reveals that the Sussexes’ Archewell Foundation has been quietly hemorrhaging staff. In just a few weeks, four key employees have exited — including U.S. Deputy Press Secretary Kyle Boulia and long-time U.K. media liaison Charlie Gipson. Some were let go, others jumped ship before restructuring swept them out.

Accursing to a source reported by Radar Online: “This isn’t strategy — it’s survival. They’re running out of money, and now they’re running out of people.”

Though Archewell’s new communication chief, Meredith Kendall Maines, released a statement rebranding the shake-up as a pivot to “agency-based support,” insiders aren’t buying it. One source candidly said, “That’s just spin. They don’t have the money to keep the team they built. They tried to recreate the royal court — but California doesn’t do crowns on credit.”

The Unraveling of an Image?

Meghan and Harry’s post-royal journey has always been part reinvention, part spectacle. But their transformation from palace to production house is now raising eyebrows. Once the faces of modern monarchy gone independent, they now face a harsher reality: fame without the firm means footing the bill alone.

Despite the hiring of seasoned PR professionals like Netflix alum Emily Robinson and communications strategist Maines, another source warned: “More layoffs are expected. And Meghan and Harry? They need a major win — fast.”

End of the Fairy Tale?

From the outside, their Montecito mansion and glittering red-carpet appearances still evoke an air of royalty. But behind the scenes, cracks are beginning to show. The Sussexes may not be returning to Buckingham Palace, but with their financial runway shrinking and their team in disarray, the question looms large: is the post-royal fairy tale quietly coming to an end?

One thing is certain — their next move could determine whether they reclaim control of their narrative or fade into the backdrop of celebrity culture they once seemed poised to redefine.