Prince Harry will celebrate his 40th birthday on September 15, and to mark the occasion, the Duke of Sussex is expected to receive a particularly valuable birthday gift — $8.5 million —courtesy of his great-grandmother.
In 2002, Queen Elizabeth I, mother of Queen Elizabeth II, passed away at the age of 101, leaving behind a substantial inheritance. "The Queen Mother placed two-thirds of her [estimated] $120 million fortune into a trust fund for her great-grandchildren," royal author Christopher Andersen explained to Fox News.
"She knew that when Prince William became Prince of Wales, which he did when his father became king, he would inherit the Duchy of Cornwall, which now boasts assets of over $1 billion. In divvying things up, the Queen Mother may have left Harry a skosh more.”
UK-based entertainment outlet The Mirror confirmed the author’s theory, reporting Harry would receive $8.5 million — a larger sum than his older brother. "The Queen Mother knew he would have fewer opportunities and responsibilities. It was a logical and thoughtful decision."
Queen mom's decision came long before Harry met and married Meghan Markle and the feud with the Royal family that ensued. "Of course, the princes' great-granny couldn't have anticipated all the trouble Harry caused the rest of the family. I think she would have cut him out of [the trust] entirely had she known,” Andersen clarified.
Meanwhile, as the funds are set to enter the Sussexes' joint account, Prince William and Kate Middleton are, unsurprisingly, displeased by the decision.
"William’s pretty disgusted that once again Harry’s going to be cashing out and taking millions back to his Montecito home without lifting a finger for it,” said a source close to the Princes of Wales. "There's nothing he can do about it, aside from shaking his head, but if it were up to him, Harry would not be getting this payday.”
The source added, "William doesn't think his brother is in any position to be getting this handout and he's letting it be known that he thinks it's a pretty rotten situation. Harry being rewarded after the terrible treatment he’s shown them all. William and Kate don’t trust Harry or Meghan one bit, so the idea that Harry’s now cashing in on his great-granny’s inheritance leaves a very bitter taste in their mouths."
Kensington Palace declined to comment on the matter.
As the Queen Mother predicted, William did inherit the Duchy of Cornwall. In fact, it was reported in July that he increased his personal wealth by $30.4 million after receiving the duchy, which generates direct profits for the heir to the throne.
Reports suggest that Prince William's personal wealth in 2024 stands at £100 million. In comparison, his father's wealth is estimated at £597 million. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, on the other hand, have a much more modest bank balance with a total of $60 million, as reported last April.