Prince Charles has reportedly threatened to cut off Prince Harry and Meghan Markle from a $2 million-a-year allowance if the couple decides to step back from their royal duties completely, according to The Times, which didn’t cite its source. In their bombshell statement released on Wednesday evening, the couple said they plan to step back from senior roles in the Royal Family. Prince Harry and the Duchess said they want to become financially independent as they do not want to receive their income from the Sovereign Grant, a fund that supports members of the Royal Family at the expense of British taxpayers.
This money, however, is only a small part of their income, while the rest of it is funded by Harry’s father, Prince Charles. The Times says that the Prince of Wales allegedly made it clear that he wouldn’t write his son a blank cheque if he and his spouse step away from royal duties entirely. The newspaper said that Charles reportedly gave the couple to understand that financial support depends on the Sussexes future roles and duties in the Royal Family.
The couple’s statement released on Wednesday shocked the nation and raised numerous questions. But particular focus was on the statement that the Duke and the Duchess want become “financially independent” and their plans to split time between the United Kingdom and North America. It is unclear who will fund the Sussexes’ travel and security, which at the moment is paid by British taxpayers at a cost hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. This bill may increase significantly as the couple plan to spend a lot of time abroad.
