Prince Harry and Meghan Markle 'Are No Longer Receiving Any Financial Support' from Prince Charles
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have achieved their wish to be "financially independent."
In addition to paying off the $3 million taxpayer-funded renovation costs to their Frogmore Cottage home in Windsor, the couple is not relying on any financial assistance from Harry’s father Prince Charles, PEOPLE has confirmed.
Those close to the couple strenuously denied that Charles was paying for their security costs in the short term since they stepped down as working royals. They were doing so themselves, those close to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex told PEOPLE from the start of their new life in California. But he had been helping with some ongoing living costs since Harry and Meghan left the U.K. in March.
That has now ended with their multimillion-dollar Netflix deal announced last week, and they are “no longer receiving any financial support,” a source says. The couple first outlined their wish to be "financially independent" when they announced they were stepping away from being working members of the royal family in January.
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On Monday, it was announced that Harry had paid back the money to the Sovereign Grant, the taxpayer-supported fund that is given by the U.K. government to the palaces to support Queen Elizabeth and her family.
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"A contribution has been made to the Sovereign Grant by the Duke of Sussex," a statement from the couple's spokesman said. "This contribution as originally offered by Prince Harry has fully covered the necessary renovation costs of Frogmore Cottage, a property of Her Majesty The Queen, and will remain the U.K. residence of the Duke and his family.”
The $3 million was used to pay for the conversion of several staff residences into one home. Harry and Meghan paid for the furniture and fixtures and fittings.
The couple and baby Archie are settling into their new home in Santa Barbara, which they bought with the help of a mortgage. They will continue to pay a commercial rent for the Frogmore Cottage property as it will remain their home in the U.K.
Meghan and Prince Harry also recently signed with the New York-based Harry Walker Agency for speaking engagements. The agency represents Oprah Winfrey and Jane Goodall — who are friends with the couple — in addition to Michelle and Barack Obama, Hillary and Bill Clinton, Alex Rodriguez, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Tina Fey, Stacey Abrams and Gloria Steinem.