Stepping away from their royal responsibilities and settling in sunny California didn’t stop the Sussexes from maintaining their extravagant lifestyle.
Among their ventures, Harry and Meghan secured a five-year, $100 million production deal with Netflix, which resulted in their documentary, and struck deals with Spotify.
Harry also released his highly anticipated memoir Spare, which sold an astonishing 1.4 million copies on its first day across the UK, United States, and Canada. The book has been published in 16 different languages worldwide and is projected to be the best-selling book of 2023.
“We always knew this book would fly, but it is exceeding even our most bullish expectations,” said Larry Finlay, managing director of Transworld Penguin Random House.
After being cut off financially upon leaving the royal family, Harry and Meghan have had to create their own path to earn money and maintain their lavish lifestyle. With their deals, Meghan’s estimated net worth of around $60 million, and the $14 million Princess Diana left Harry, they appear to be doing quite well.
Later, the media company run by Harry and Meghan, Archewell Audio, along with streaming giant Spotify, revealed they had mutually agreed to end their multi-million dollar contract. Reports suggested that Spotify had expected more content from Archewell Studios.
Meanwhile, Harry and Meghan issued a statement expressing their discontent with the idea of distributing content exclusively through Spotify. According to their description, Archewell Audio’s mission is “producing programming that uplifts and entertains audiences around the world,” while also “spotlighting diverse perspectives and voices.” Most importantly, they aim to build “community through shared experience, narratives, and values.”
Bill Simmons, the founder of Spotify who later sold it for about $200 million and now serves as the company’s head of podcast innovation and monetization, called the Sussexes “grifters.”
“I wish I had been involved in the ‘Meghan and Harry leave Spotify’ negotiation. The Fucking Grifters, that’s the podcast we should have launched with them,” Simmons said on his podcast.
“I have got to get drunk one night and tell the story of the Zoom I had with Harry to try and help him with a podcast idea. It’s one of my best stories … Fu*k them. The grifters.”
Despite the failed deal, Harry and Meghan have managed to find ways to fund their lifestyle.
“[Meghan] would not have been happy with the ultimately quiet or truly independent/non-royal lives that William and Harry’s cousins actually live,” royal commentator Jane Barr shared in her From Berkshire to Buckingham newsletter, as reported by the NY Post.
“Meghan wanted to take her HRH and her title and be a superstar in her own sphere on the international stage,” she added, noting that it would be “wholly separate from the control of the crown.”
