Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s decision to step back from their roles as senior royals five years ago, in 2020, finally has an answer. The couple has often spoken about their experiences while part of the royal family, which has pushed the questioning. Now living in Montecito, California, they seem to have settled into a life of happiness and stability away from the United Kingdom.
At the time of their exit, Meghan, who is now 43, and Harry, now 40, had originally wanted a flexible arrangement that would allow them to keep some ties to their royal duties while also working toward financial independence. However, this middle-ground approach did not fit with traditional royal rules and was not approved by the late Queen. Because of this, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex gave up all of their royal responsibilities.
As found by Express, a royal author has shared thoughts on what may have been the main reason behind this major decision, hinting that a specific “desire” on Meghan’s part was the key factor. According to this author, a fundamental goal to make money ultimately led the couple to choose the path they are on now. The late Queen Elizabeth apparently would not allow the couple to profit from being royals.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry allegedly wanted to make money as royals
Reports say the royal author, in a revealing book, suggested that some suspected Meghan’s ultimate aim was to earn her own income. The author claimed that the only realistic way for her to achieve this financial freedom was to leave royal life behind and return to America. This perspective highlights the belief that personal financial independence played a major role in the Sussexes’ choice to step away from their royal positions.
The one with the name change!
— 𝚂𝙰𝙼𝙰𝙽𝚃𝙷𝙰 𝙹 𝚂𝙲𝙾𝚃𝚃 ( 𝙲𝚘𝚕𝚕𝚘𝚙𝚢) (@CollopySamantha) June 14, 2025
Meghan, Duchess of SuS strikes again!#MeghanMarkleIsAConArtist #MeghanMarkleExposed #HarryandMeghanareGrifters #HarryAndMeghanAreFinished #meghanmarkleisanarcissist #MeghanIsTheProblem pic.twitter.com/wVyX63kqTN
Since moving to the United States, Meghan has started several business projects, successfully creating her own sources of income. Just this year, she introduced her brand, “As Ever,” and a Netflix show called With Love, Meghan. She has also launched a podcast series named Confessions of A Female Founder. They have yet to get their titles stripped away; it seems like they do benefit from having been royals, even without a “half-in” “half-out” approach.
While Meghan has fully embraced her role as an entrepreneur, Prince Harry has mostly taken a different path, concentrating more on his charity work. However, he did earn a substantial amount from his memoir, Spare, which came out in 2023 and received a lot of attention. Though there is talk of a possible future business project for Prince Harry, no concrete details about it have been confirmed yet.
