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Have Meghan and Harry run out of money in isolation?

They're struggling to fund their lavish lifestyle.
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Three months after their bombshell that they were quitting as senior royals for a “financially independent” life, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle may already be struggling to fund their lavish lifestyle and astronomical security costs.

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WATCH: Prince Harry ‘tremendously isolated’ with Meghan after big decision

One royals expert warned last week that Meghan’s plans to land high-profile acting roles have been dashed by Hollywood’s COVID-19 shutdown.

“It will be very tough for them in the few months ahead,” Omid Scobie said on The HeirPod podcast. “They’ve spent the last few years not earning a living. As a royal, your expenses are covered, but you don’t earn a salary. No-one knows when there is an end date to this.”

meghanharry
(Credit: Getty)
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The couple are currently isolating – as is the rest of the world – in an LA compound with baby Archie, who turns 1 next month.

But amid reports they’ve forked out $23 million on a new home and following recent revelations that the US will not be covering the cost of their security detail, the former senior royals could find themselves scrambling to make ends meet.

Meghan, it seems, had pinned her hopes onmaking a Hollywood comeback. But her narrator role for Disney doco Elephants was widely panned, and when production ramps up again on TV and film projects after pandemic restrictions are eventually lifted, Hollywood insiders hint she may find choice roles hard to come by.

“This is harsh, but I never really thought of her as an actress before,” one casting director – who chose to remain anonymous – told website Slate.com.

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“Her best bet would be to come back to make it as a personality rather than getting back to scripted roles. I personally didn’t think she had the chops. She wasn’t someone I would put on lots of lists.”

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(Credit: Getty)

Speculation the pair are preparing for a tell-all interview has also been doing the rounds, with a royal insider telling the Daily Star the couple are convinced it would be a “good way to win back public support”.

If it goes ahead, the sit-down – with Oprah Winfrey pegged as the favourite to get them to speak – could net them almost $2 million. But their supporters aren’t so sure it’s the right move, no matter how much financial trouble they may be in.

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“If she does the tell-all it really doesn’t set the best example,” commented one follower on Twitter. “Everyone will believe she really did marry Harry for money and publicity.” Another added: “If her objective is to earn money, it could work. But if she’s trying to
win back the public, it’s extremely risky.”

It seems their money woes may extend to their new charity, Archewell, too. “Archewell is a name that combines an ancient word for strength and action, and another that evokes the deep resources we each must draw upon,” read a statement from the couple.

But so far the only ‘deep resources’ they have drawn on are those of Harry’s dad Prince Charles, who is expected to shell out around $5 million a year to support them.

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(Credit: Getty)
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Details about the causes Archewell will fund remain to be announced, but Catherine St-Laurent – formerly with Melinda Gates’ charitable foundation– has been named as executive director.

They are embarking on a new chapter themselves and I am thrilled
to be able to play a supporting role in realising their vision and enabling them to achieve impact on the issues that matter most to them,” she commented.

However, the former royals were left red-faced when, after failing to register the domain name archewellfoundation.com before the charity’s debut, someone snapped it up and set it to redirect any visitors to the YouTube video of Kanye West’s 2005 hit song ‘Gold Digger’.

The awkward gaffe came just days before it was revealed Harry had quietly dropped his royal surname, further cutting family ties. Signing documents to register another new endeavour – sustainable tour company Travalyst – the Duke of Sussex failed to use his family name, ‘Mountbatten Windsor’.

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Meanwhile Harry’s friends are concerned that he is struggling with his new civilian life. Conservationist and chimpanzee expert Dr Jane Goodall, who is pals with the prince, confirmed she has spoken to him in recent days, telling Radio Times: “I don’t know how his career is going to map out, but, yes, I’ve been in touch I think he’s finding life a bit challenging right now.

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