King Charles III has stirred the pot, particularly with Prince Harry, by indicating there just isn’t enough budget to sufficiently support Meghan Markle, as noted in a recent biography.
At 75 years old, Charles had initially viewed the Duchess of Sussex as “extremely intelligent and kind” when she entered Harry’s life, yet he was hesitant to funnel financial resources toward her role as a working royal.
This intriguing scenario is explored in the new royal biography Catherine, the Princess of Wales, which hit U.S. shelves on August 6, published by Pegasus Books.
A segment shared by the Daily Mail reveals that Charles made considerable efforts to bond with Harry’s fiancée, even expressing how much they liked her by saying, “She is so intelligent and so nice; she makes Harry happy. We couldn’t like her more.”
However, Harry later shared that his father expressed there simply wasn’t enough cash to go around for Meghan, since he was already financially backing William and Catherine.
Naturally, this revelation left Harry feeling disgruntled, as he believed he and Meghan deserved more support from “Pa” given their commitment to royal responsibilities.
Interestingly, insiders suggest that Charles eventually came through with a “substantial sum” for Harry and did not entirely withdraw financial assistance as previously thought.
The king reportedly drew on the income from the Duchy of Cornwall estate to financially support both William and Harry, a strategy intended to help the Prince of Wales.
In 2020, Harry and Meghan, along with William and Kate, shared a budget totaling $6.1 million.
However, after Charles took the throne, the duchy revenue shifted to Prince William, giving him full access, which for the fiscal year 2023-24, nearly hit $30 million—far exceeding what Harry had when he was actively working in royal duties.
Author Robert Jobson suggests that this “substantial sum” might represent a kind of farewell gift Harry received from his father in the early part of the 2020-21 fiscal year, after which Harry was cut off from the Duchy’s funding.
Jobson also notes that Charles appears hopeful to repair the relationship between Harry and William, who have been at odds for quite some time. In a noteworthy move, he seems to have enlisted his brother, Prince Andrew, to convey a subtle message.
Jobson writes, “Initially, the ousted Duke of York astonished many by attending the traditional Christmas service with the royal family in 2022.”
He adds, “Then, in February this year, he and his ex-wife were seen leading the royal attendees at the memorial for King Constantine of Greece.”
What does this all mean? Why has Fergie, who was once left out of these family events, suddenly been welcomed back?
A senior royal source speculates that by reaching out to the York siblings, King Charles may be trying to send a significant message to his oldest son, William—not about Andrew, but regarding Harry.
“Perhaps the King is subtly indicating to William that forgiving your brother and giving second chances shows strength, not weakness,” the source suggested. Meanwhile, Prince William sees things differently, believing that reconciliation with his own brother is off the table.
In summary, it looks like the rift between Harry and William is likely to endure, perhaps for the rest of their lives.