Approximately a year ago, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had shocked people around the world as they announced their intention to step down as senior members of the Royal Family. Now, in February 2021, that split has been made official: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will not be "returning as working members of The Royal Family". At the time, the two had decried the intrusions and racist attitudes of the British media toward the duchess.
Now, Meghan and Harry have once again made headlines as they sat down for a chat with Oprah Winfrey. The explosive wide-ranging interview saw the duo discussing a wide range of topics from painful discussions about the colour of their son's skin, losing royal protection and the intense pressures that led the Duchess of Sussex to contemplate suicide.
Harry told Winfrey that he felt trapped by royal life and was surprised that he was cut off financially and lost his security last year. He also said he felt his family did not support Meghan, who acknowledged her naivete about royal life before marrying Harry, as she endured tabloid attacks and false stories.
But if Google search trends are anything to go by, netizens as a whole are a somewhat finance-oriented lot. And so, it was Prince Harry's brief remarks about being cut off financially by the royal family at soon after their initial announcement that has internet users agog. According to him, the money his mother, Princess Diana had helped him afford security for his family.
Since then, Google has seen a surge in questions related to his inheritance. Going by the worldwide trends associated with the name 'Harry', it would seem that Diana's inheritance is all people want to dissect.
But how much did Prince Harry inherit from his mother?
At the end of February 2021, Forbes estimated that the couple were replying on approximately $10 million - from the inheritance Harry received from his mother's estate. Another recent Marie Claire report sheds additional light on the inheritance from Princess Diana. Reportedly, Harry and William had been left around £10 million in trusts that could only be accessed after they reached their 30th birthdays.
The Forbes article quotes a representative to rubbish claims that he was a beneficiary to the nearly $100 million (£70 million) fortune left by his great-grandmother.
Alongside this, Meghan Markle is believed to have contributed about $2 million from her work in films and television shows. It must be noted that since breaking away from the Royal family the two have worked with several major brands and are rumoured to have inked deals worth millions of dollars.