Spare me: Harry and Meghan will get the last laugh — all the way to the bank — as his ‘raw account’ of royal life proves massively profitable

According to Guinness World Records, “Spare” has become the fastest-selling non-fiction book of all time, after shifting 1.43 million copies during its first day on sale in the U.K., U.S. and Canada.

"The first full day of sales of ‘Spare’ represents the largest first-day sales total for any non-fiction book ever published by Penguin Random House," the book's publisher confirmed in a statement.

If narrativizing their royal drama is any part of Harry and Meghan’s financial strategy, it seems to be working. In fact, for many watchers, it may feel like the couple gave up royal status only to gain it in a different industry. But are their lives really that much richer since leaving the monarchy?

The wealth they left behind

While the British royal family has their own personal wealth — Forbes estimates the family holds $28 billion in assets that can’t be sold and there’s also the $500 million estate the late Queen Elizabeth left behind — they don’t pay out of pocket to perform their royal duties.

Instead, they rely on an annual, taxpayer-funded payment called the Sovereign Grant, which is derived from a percentage of the profits coming from the Crown Estate. The rest of that profit is turned over to the government.

The grant funds official royal expenses like property upkeep and utilities, travel and payroll. In the 2021-22 tax year, the Sovereign Grant amounted to over $103 million, according to the Royal Household’s financial statement.

So, having left that powerful financial support behind, where exactly will Harry and Meghan feel the loss most acutely?

According to the Institute for Government, one of the largest public costs for the royals is security. These arrangements aren’t publicly disclosed, but Forbes estimated in 2021 that such services for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex could cost up to $3 million per year.

Now on their own, Harry and Meghan can’t rely on the royal coffers to fund their safety and travel — but they’re far from destitute.

Meghan and Harry’s financial autonomy

Before striking out on their own, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were largely supported by funds from the Duchy of Cornwall, a valuable estate that provides funds for the oldest son of the British monarch. In 2020, Forbes estimated that the couple’s loss amounted to $3 million a year, in addition to their security costs.

Forbes also confirmed that Harry was not a beneficiary of his great-grandmother the Queen Mother’s $100 million fortune.

That means that when they made the decision to step back from their roles as senior working royals, Harry and Meghan were left with a meager sum of $10 million (estimated by Forbes), largely made up of the inheritance from Harry’s late mother’s estate.

Of that number, $5 million reportedly went toward a down payment for the couple’s $14.7 million home in Montecito, California.

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Building a new empire

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced publicly in January 2020 that they intended to “carve out a progressive new role within [the] institution,” by maintaining royal responsibilities without their royal funding.

According to Vanity Fair, the couple received their last royal sum shortly after, which was intended to support them as they transitioned out of their senior roles.

As part of that transition, Harry and Meghan set out to trademark their Sussex Royal brand, which would have allowed them to sell a line of products and activities. Retail expert Andy Barr told the Daily Mail at the time that the business could generate revenues of over $500 million, easily outstripping the fortune previously provided by King Charles.

Unfortunately, Buckingham Palace ultimately blocked the trademark. The couple instead formed Archewell — an organization that includes audio and media production companies and a non-profit foundation.