How Will Harry and Meghan Make a Living in the UK? Netflix Deals, As Ever Brand Fund Their Move and Its Costs

As Prince Harry and Meghan Markle prepare to relocate to the United Kingdom with their two children, questions have intensified over exactly how the couple, who gave up public royal funding when they stepped back from senior royal duties in 2020, will continue supporting themselves financially once settled in Britain.

Since leaving their working royal roles, Harry and Meghan have built a diversified portfolio of media, publishing and lifestyle ventures explicitly designed to achieve what they described at the time as "financial independence." According to a Yahoo Entertainment report citing sources, the couple has earned more than $100 million through combined projects and agreements involving Netflix, Spotify and book publishing since 2020. That figure reflects a multi-year effort by the couple to replace the income they previously received through the royal family's Sovereign Grant and the Duchy of Cornwall, the private estate that had funded the bulk of their expenses before their departure.

Netflix remains one of the couple's central revenue sources. Through their production company, Archewell Productions, Harry and Meghan signed a content deal with the streamer shortly after relocating to California, a partnership that produced the 2022 documentary series "Harry & Meghan," Harry's polo-focused documentary "Polo," and Meghan's lifestyle and cooking series "With Love, Meghan," which debuted in January 2025. According to CinemaBlend, Netflix ultimately declined to renew that development contract in July 2025, ending one chapter of the couple's media partnership even as reports suggest Meghan may now be in talks for a potential return to on-screen acting work through a separate project.

Meghan's own business ventures have increasingly become the primary engine of household income, according to multiple reports. Yahoo Entertainment reported that Harry has devoted much of his recent time to philanthropic work, leaving Meghan's commercial ventures to generate the larger share of the couple's earnings. A source described the current state of her business simply: "The business is doing well," and the outlet reported that Meghan is expected to continue operating her As Ever lifestyle brand even after the family's relocation to Britain. Entertainment Now similarly reported that Meghan plans to keep running the As Ever business from the UK, describing it as a central pillar of the couple's post-royal commercial identity.

As Ever, Meghan's lifestyle brand encompassing food products, home goods and other consumer offerings, has expanded steadily since its earlier incarnation under a different name. While specific sales figures for the brand remain private, a source told Page Six the business is performing well, according to Entertainment Now's reporting, suggesting continued consumer demand for the products despite the brand's relatively short public existence.

Financial pressure appears to have played a meaningful role in the timing of the couple's decision to relocate. According to Yahoo Entertainment, insiders estimate the Sussexes require at least $6 million annually simply to maintain their household in the United States, with security alone reportedly costing the couple approximately $3 million per year, a necessity that has remained a significant fixed expense since they gave up government-funded protection upon leaving royal life. CinemaBlend reported that the couple has taken out two separate mortgages on their $14.5 million Montecito estate, a detail cited as further evidence of mounting financial strain. One insider, speaking to Page Six, was direct about the role money has played in the decision to move. "I am sure there are a lot of reasons [for the move], but I do think cash is a big one," the source said.

In response to rising costs, the couple has reportedly scaled back household staffing considerably. According to Yahoo Entertainment, Harry and Meghan once employed as many as 17 or 18 staff members but now retain only four full-time employees, not including their public relations spokespersons, a reduction reported as part of a broader effort to control expenses even as other costs, including security and legal fees, have continued climbing.

Beyond Meghan's lifestyle brand and the couple's earlier Netflix and Spotify partnerships, the pair has continued generating income through book publishing. Harry's 2023 memoir, "Spare," became one of the best-selling nonfiction books in recent publishing history upon its release, contributing substantially to the couple's broader revenue base during that period, according to the revenue breakdown compiled by BreakEvenPointCalculator.com, which described the couple's overall business model as a "global brand and content creation enterprise" spanning media production, publishing, public speaking engagements and various brand partnerships operating under their Archewell umbrella.

The couple's financial position also continues to benefit from personal wealth accumulated before their departure from royal duties. Harry inherited an estimated £7 million, or roughly $9 million, from his late mother, Princess Diana, an inheritance that has grown over time with accumulated interest, along with additional funds inherited from his great-grandmother, according to figures reported by Gulf News. Meghan, for her part, had already built independent wealth through her acting career prior to marrying into the royal family, most notably through her role on the USA Network legal drama "Suits."

Despite the couple's continued commercial activity, reports suggest their business ventures in the U.S. have not delivered the level of financial independence some observers initially anticipated when they first relocated in 2020. CinemaBlend noted that had those ventures developed differently, some had speculated Meghan might have built a brand comparable in scale to figures such as Gwyneth Paltrow or Martha Stewart, an outcome that has not fully materialized to the same degree over the intervening six years.

Family considerations have also factored into the couple's financial calculus and broader decision to relocate. A royal insider told Page Six that King Charles III remains a significant factor behind the timing of Harry's increased presence in the UK. "I know that Charles is a big reason for their return," the source said, according to Entertainment Now, suggesting that reconnecting with family, alongside financial pressures, has shaped the couple's decision to spend more time in Britain going forward.

As Harry and Meghan settle into their new UK residence with children Archie and Lilibet, who have reportedly already been enrolled in British schools, their financial strategy going forward is expected to continue relying heavily on Meghan's As Ever brand, ongoing publishing royalties, and any new media or entertainment ventures either partner pursues, including Meghan's reported discussions regarding a possible return to acting, rather than any resumption of public funding tied to official royal duties, a status neither has held nor is expected to regain following their 2020 departure from the working royal family.