Meghan Markle is reportedly carrying the financial weight of the Sussex household as questions intensify over how she and Prince Harry are sustaining their ultra-expensive California lifestyle after the apparent end of their once-lucrative Netflix partnership.
According to reporting cited by Page Six, Meghan has become "basically the breadwinner" for the couple as their post-royal business model faces renewed scrutiny nearly six years after they stepped away from official duties inside the British monarchy.
The latest claims center on the couple's reported annual expenses in Montecito, the affluent enclave where the Sussexes relocated after leaving Britain in 2020. One unnamed source alleged the pair requires roughly $6 million per year to maintain their lifestyle, including security costs, staffing and payments tied to their $15 million estate.
"Money is tight," the source reportedly told Page Six, suggesting the couple's financial structure has become more complicated since their headline-making Netflix production agreement began winding down.
Neither Harry nor Meghan has publicly disclosed the family's finances, and no independently verified documentation has emerged confirming the reported spending figures. Representatives for the Sussexes have not publicly commented on the latest claims.
Still, the discussion has reignited broader debate over the sustainability of the couple's "financial independence" strategy after abandoning frontline royal life. Their departure from the monarchy was framed at the time as an effort to build a self-funded future through entertainment, media production and philanthropic ventures outside palace control.
The Netflix agreement became the clearest symbol of that transition. The Sussexes produced documentaries, lifestyle content and the widely viewed Harry & Meghan series under the deal, while Meghan separately pursued podcasting and commercial projects.
Now, with questions swirling about the future of those arrangements, attention has shifted toward Meghan's earning potential and whether she may eventually re-enter Hollywood in a more direct way.
Before joining the royal family, Meghan was best known for playing Rachel Zane on the legal drama Suits. The show experienced a major streaming resurgence over the past two years, fueling speculation that she could capitalize on renewed audience interest.
People close to the duchess, however, have pushed back against reports suggesting she is preparing a formal acting comeback. The narrative nevertheless persists because it fits neatly into the broader financial speculation now surrounding the Sussexes.
The contrast between Meghan's commercial flexibility and Harry's public role has become increasingly pronounced. Meghan can pursue lifestyle branding, entertainment partnerships and potential endorsement opportunities with relative ease. Harry, by contrast, remains more closely tied to philanthropic and institutional work, particularly through the Invictus Games and veterans' causes.
That imbalance has fueled the perception that Meghan is now the couple's primary commercial engine.
The financial conversation is also unfolding against another backdrop: persistent rumors about the Sussexes' relationship with the royal family and whether some form of limited reconciliation remains possible. Harry is expected to return to Britain later this year for Invictus Games-related events, though it remains unclear whether Meghan will accompany him.
One unnamed royal insider alleged Harry has sought assurances that the royal household would be "polite" toward Meghan should she attend future family-related appearances in the UK. Buckingham Palace has not commented on those claims.
