Meghan Markle and Prince Harry made headlines worldwide in 2020 when they dramatically stepped away from royal life—and their reasons might surprise you. According to renowned royal biographer Valentine Low, the couple’s decision boiled down to one thing: money.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex reportedly severed ties with the Windsor family to gain “the freedom to make money and dip their toes into politics,” Low reveals in his eye-opening book Courtiers.
Far from the palace spotlight, Harry and Meghan wanted to carve out a financially independent life on their own terms—escaping royal expectations to live more freely and privately.
Low asserts that the former actress’s strong determination to “earn money for herself” was the decisive factor that pushed them to make their exit.
As the couple, married in 2018, weighed their options, they even considered “having a month a year to do their own thing,” Low reveals, according to the Daily Mail.
The author adds that the pair also entertained the idea of “spending most of their time privately while still taking part in a select number of royal engagements.”
However, the condition for continuing any public royal duties was strict adherence to royal protocol, which meant following the “normal rules about royal behavior.”
“Some suspected that, in the end, her true goal was to make money,” Low writes. “And the only way she could do that was by leaving royal life behind and returning to America.”
Low also notes that if the couple had agreed to continue their royal duties, they would not have been permitted to “act or make decisions for financial gain.”
Additionally, Low claims that the Sussexes, parents to son Archie and daughter Lilibet, sought the freedom to engage in US politics.
Since stepping away from royal life in 2020, the couple has settled in Montecito, California.
Although the couple has never confirmed this claim, Low alleges that their desire was a significant breach of royal protocol behind palace doors.
“There was no way for the two sides to reach an agreement on that point,” he wrote.
“Crucially, it was the Queen who decided that unless they were willing to abide by the restrictions applied to working members of the royal family, they could not be permitted to carry out official duties.”
The Post has reached out to the Sussexes’ representatives for comment.
After stepping away from royal duties, the duo landed a lucrative $100 million deal with Netflix.
While the “Spare” author, 40, and his wife have never officially entered the political arena, they’re widely known to share a close friendship with the Biden family.
The couple previously teamed up with the Bidens for the Invictus Games and openly supported President Biden in the 2020 election against Donald Trump.
Moreover, Markle—long rumored to have political ambitions—appears to have a close relationship with Joe Biden’s sister, Valerie Biden Owens.
Since relocating to the US in 2020, the mom of two is said to have built strong connections with top Democrats.
In 2023, Biden Owens reportedly “endorsed” Markle as a woman she would support for the White House, although Markle has never formally announced any presidential aspirations.
In recent months, Markle has launched a range of new ventures—from her Netflix show and lifestyle brand to a revamped podcast and digital storefront.
Back in 2020, the couple inked a hefty $100 million deal with Netflix, under which they’ve already released several projects.
