Exclusive | ‘Breadwinner’ Meghan Markle may take drastic action to pay her, Prince Harry’s huge bills

Meghan Markle is “basically the breadwinner” in the Sussex family — and funds are “tight,” sources tell Page Six.

The Duchess of Sussex is focusing on growing her “As Ever” lifestyle range afterrecently parting ways with partner Netflix, those who know her say, while her husband, Prince Harry, is mainly focused on his philanthropic work, which is noble but doesn’t bring in much cash.

“Money is tight,” said a source in the know, as another told us that Markle and her husband, Harry, need at least $6 million a year for operating expenses in the billionaire enclave of Montecito, California.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle holding hands at Bondi Beach.
Harry and Meghan during their recent trip to Australia. Media-Mode / SplashNews.com

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex,wearing a white dress, holds a raspberry to her mouth.
Meghan Markle was seen eating a strawberry as she released a glossy video online Monday to market As Ever. Meghan/ Instagram

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As Page Six revealed, the couple spends about $3 million of that on private security for the family, which includes children Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 4. They also have to make mortgage payments on their $15 million mansion.

However, Markle has a coterie of wealthy and powerful female friends, all of whom are on board to help her boost her finances.

Meghan Markle, I a black top and blue jeans, sitting on a kitchen counter, surrounded by fruits, vegetables, flowers, and jars of preserves.
The Duchess sold her wares while being pictured arranging flowers and staring out of a window. Meghan/ Instagram

Meghan Markle, in a beige vest, Amy Griffin, in a white tank top and green skirt, Jamie Kern Lima, in a pink jacket.
Markle has a coterie of powerful female friends she leans on. Here she is with Amy Griffin and Jamie Kern Lima. The latter flew the Duchess to the G9 Ventures Summer Summit, hosted by Griffin, in the Hamptons in July 2024. Jamie Kern Lima/Instagram

Meghan Markle (right) in a beige vest and beige pants and sunglasses, Bobbie Brown (center) in a white shirt and black pants and sunglasses. Misha Nonoo (far left) in a white shirt and beige mini skirt and sunglasses.
Markle also hobnobbed with make-up mogul Bobbie Brown and her BFF designer Misha Nonoo in the Hamptons. Bobbi Brown/Instagram

Indeed, a video Markle posted on Instagram Monday to promote “As Ever,” featuring the mom of two eating a strawberry and wistfully staring out of the window, while wearing a $63,000 diamond necklace, which was liked by Lauren Sánchez Bezos and Markle’s close pal, IT Cosmetics founder Jamie Kern Lima.

We told how Kern Lima flew Markle to the G9 Ventures Summer Summit, hosted by investor Amy Griffin, in the Hamptons in July 2024, ahead of Markle’s business launch.

Last month, Markle, 44, joined AI-powered fashion discovery platform OneOff as both an investor and a featured participant, whose personal “exclusive edits” will be available to browse and buy.

Meghan Markle, in a beige top and pants, Gemma O'Neill in a blue dress.
Markle – seen with Gemma O’Neill – was paid to join the “Her Best Life” podcast’s retreat in Sydney on April 17, 2026. She only stayed two hours, according to reports. Her Best Life/ Instagram

Prince Harry, in a black suit and white shirt, giving the keynote speech at the InterEdge Summit.
Prince Harry, meanwhile, did not get paid to deliver the keynote speech at the InterEdge Summit in Melbourne, Australia. PA Images/INSTARimages

She joins other investors and featured celebrities like Suki Waterhouse, Emma Chamberlain, Kate Hudson and Shay Mitchell on the platform.

This enables fans to shop her wardrobe, including outfits from her recent Australia tour. The move, which earns her a percentage from sales, drew criticism for potentially prioritizing profits over her philanthropic work.

More than two dozen products from the Aussie tour sold out, according to Markle sources, with OneOff cofounder and chief executive officer Emir Talu telling WWD, “OneOff surpassed 1-plus million views of outfits on the site in the first three days since Meghan launched her page on the platform.”

While in Australia, she also hosted a girls’ weekend, where guests paid up to $3,199 to attend the Her Best Life Retreat in Coogee, Sydney — despite only staying for two hours.

Prince Harry, in a blue shirt and dark pants, and Meghan Markle , in a blue and white striped shirt and beige pants, walk surrounded by security with the Sydney Opera House in the background.
The Sussexes made their recent Australia trip work for them – with money-making jobs, commercial meetings and charity events. AFP via Getty Images

Netflix and Markle severed their “As Ever” partnership in April after we revealed her tie-in show, ‘With Love, Meghan” was not returning for a third season. Markle sources let it be known that she had been left to “carry the whole thing by herself” — much to the annoyance of Netflix staffers.

There have also been rumors that Markle has been speaking to Hollywood bigwigs about starting acting again. Sources this week even said the former “Suits” star, who made a cameo appearance in the upcoming movie “Close Personal Friends,” was looking for a steady role on a TV show, but this was roundly denied by Sussex insiders.

Page Six has reached out to reps for the Sussexes for comment.

Harry, 41, meanwhile, was not paid for a speaking engagement at Melbourne’s InterEdge Summit during the quasi-royal Australian visit.

Prince Harry, in a black suit and white shirt, and Meghan Markle, in a sleeveless black dress with gold buttons, holding hands and smiling while walking.
During the Australia trip, Markle announced she had joined AI-powered fashion discovery platform OneOff, where her choice of clothes are available to buy. She gets a percentage of the sales. AP

Photo of Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex,in a black shirt, looking directly at the camera.
Harry is still working with mental health start-up, BetterUp, sources confirmed. BetterUP

Meghan Markle,in a white shirt and blue jeans and mouse ears, Prince Harry, in a black t-shirt and grey baseball cap, Prince Archie, in a black t-shirt and black pants, and Princess Lilibet, in a orange floral dress, walk hand-in-hand through what appears to be a theme park.
Markle posted cute photos of her trip to Disneyland this weekend with son, Prince Archie, daughter, Princess Lilibet, and Harry, alongside her mom, Doria Ragland. Meghan/ Instagram

But his passion projects are his Invictus Games project for wounded soldiers and his philanthropy work. Harry also joined Silicon Valley mental-health start up, BetterUp, in 2021 as Chief Impact Officer, earning a rumored $1 million annual salary.

He’s still listed on their website, and sources confirmed he still works there. However, in August 2024, the Daily Beast reported that, according to some staffers, Harry’s duties with the company were nebulous, and one former employee told the outlet that the prince’s day-to-day responsibilities included “zero things.”

The report came amid tumultuous times for the company, which had laid off approximately 16 percent of its workforce after, according to two of the outlet’s sources, the company failed to meet last year’s revenue projections. Moreover, the company faced a “revolt” by the coaches who are contractors after modifying their pay.

Harry, meanwhile, hopes to bring his family back to the UK in July for a one-year countdown celebration for the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham, if the government signs off on providing their security while in his home country.