General News about the Sussex Family, Part Two: April-August 2020

[Hallo girl]

Well quite what does that say?

I didn't say he was viewed as a commodity. I said nothing is for free and he had to keep up his part of the bargain while a working royal.

This is not unconditional love. It is a two way business relationship. I think most people have dismissed the situation as sad now though. Oh it's just sad. Not much conversation about it anymore.

Queen Mary was quoted as saying that service is the price for privilege.

You are correct it is a 2 way streak.

Yes they live in castles etc, have jewels and all that goes with it, in return they serve the country.

 

[poppy7]

Wasn't that house in Paris gifted to them by the French government?
In fact, I read an account where the Duke actually would have preferred a country estate but rather than purchase one, he couldn't resist the freebie.

I'm not certain this is correct, but it is what I've always thought.

Why would the French give it to them? They bought it in early 50s I think. David wanted everything. To be free. To have a home in England. To not be part of the firm. To have a job from them. To not have a job unless it was a great one. He too was very similar to Harry. He wanted it all his way without knowing anything about the world.

 

[Denville]

Why would the French give it to them? They bought it in early 50s I think. David wanted everything. To be free. To have a home in England. To not be part of the firm. To have a job from them. To not have a job unless it was a great one. He too was very similar to Harry. He wanted it all his way without knowing anything about the world.

They did have a deal with teh French govt that they didn't pay taxes...

 

[poppy7]

They did have a deal with teh French govt that they didn't pay taxes...

Well I suppose being asked to pay tax would have been too much of contemplate. And in fairness the monarch didn't pay tax till after the Windsor fire. The rest to may have I don't know. To be honest it was a bit rich. Other ancient families were crippled by death duties post WWII. And many lost their estates to the national trust...don't get me wrong the NT is brilliant. The ones the survived had to turn into a business. So they had it more than cushy.

It always struck me didn't give them a home in the UK but I think their was a bit of give them an inch and they will take the lot.

Harry and Meghan have that. And private funding. Of course they haven't been super generous either but air think they have been kind and more than fair.

 

[Curryong]

In the biography of King Edward by Philip Ziegler it states that in 1953 the City of Paris offered a mansion in central Paris to the Duke and Duchess of Windsor at a reasonable but not nominal rent. It was on a twenty five year lease (which obviously was later extended.) A large mansion it stood on two acres of grounds. The couple were pleased with it as they had been looking for two years and already had a country property in France.

 

[Curryong]

Why would the French give it to them? They bought it in early 50s I think. David wanted everything. To be free. To have a home in England. To not be part of the firm. To have a job from them. To not have a job unless it was a great one. He too was very similar to Harry. He wanted it all his way without knowing anything about the world.

Harry had a career in the army for ten years, which paid him a salary. David never had a paying job in the sense that most people know it.

 

[poppy7]

Harry had a career in the army for ten years, which paid him a salary. David never had a paying job in the sense that most people know it.

Harry wouldn't have taken that salary.,like William it went to charity but actually I do not think either brother was paid for their service. It was just when William went private and worked for the air ambulance. The work was given to charity.

David was in the navy and signed up in 1914. He was eager to serve but of course that wasn't allowed but he certainly went to the front. Most men in the Royal family are in the services. Harry isn't unique by any imagination.

He was also the representative in the Bahamas or something. A job to get them out of the way. But a job.

 

[poppy7]

In the biography of King Edward by Philip Ziegler it states that in 1953 the City of Paris offered a mansion in central Paris to the Duke and Duchess of Windsor at a reasonable but not nominal rent. It was on a twenty five year lease (which obviously was later extended.) A large mansion it stood on two acres of grounds. The couple were pleased with it as they had been looking for two years and already had a country property in France.

I didn't know they had any place in central Paris. I only knew about the house outside it. That is typical arrangements from homes in the capital. Most have long rents.

Edit: the two seem to be conflated in my mind. I knew about the Al Fayed think with the house. I thought they were all one.

 

[Osipi]

Harry wouldn't have taken that salary.,like William it went to charity but actually I do not think either brother was paid for their service. It was just when William went private and worked for the air ambulance. The work was given to charity.

David was in the navy and signed up in 1914. He was eager to serve but of course that wasn't allowed but he certainly went to the front. Most men in the Royal family are in the services. Harry isn't unique by any imagination.

He was also the representative in the Bahamas or something. A job to get them out of the way. But a job.

Actually I think that Harry did take his pension from his service. If we look back a couple of decades, it was Charles' pension from the Navy that he used to start up the Prince's Trust. William's donating of his paycheck to charity was from being employed in the private sector with EAAA. William probably also gets a pension from his time in the armed services too. But here again, its not made public if they do or they don't. All I'm going by is their father's example of what he did with his Navy pension. ?

 

[Denville]

Well I suppose being asked to pay tax would have been too much of contemplate. And in fairness the monarch didn't pay tax till after the Windsor fire. The rest to may have I don't know. To be honest it was a bit rich. Other ancient families were crippled by death duties post WWII. And many lost their estates to the national trust...don't get me wrong the NT is brilliant. The ones the survived had to turn into a business. So they had it more than cushy.

It always struck me didn't give them a home in the UK but I think their was a bit of give them an inch and they will take the lot.

Harry and Meghan have that. And private funding. Of course they haven't been super generous either but air think they have been kind and more than fair.

Since David was not the King of France, I dont see why the French govt DID give them a no tax deal...

 

[poppy7]

Actually I think that Harry did take his pension from his service. If we look back a couple of decades, it was Charles' pension from the Navy that he used to start up the Prince's Trust. William's donating of his paycheck to charity was from being employed in the private sector with EAAA. William probably also gets a pension from his time in the armed services too. But here again, its not made public if they do or they don't. All I'm going by is their father's example of what he did with his Navy pension. ?

1O years won't be a big pension. And you would get very little for it. I sent quite know how any of that would work to be fair. To get a pension without a paycheck. But I am sure they did have a paycheck that was reabsorbed perhaps. Complex.

 

[Denville]

1O years won't be a big pension. And you would get very little for it. I sent quite know how any of that would work to be fair. To get a pension without a paycheck. But I am sure they did have a paycheck that was reabsorbed perhaps. Complex.

They probably donated thier pay to service charities...

 

[poppy7]

Since David was not the King of France, I dont see why the French govt DID give them a no tax deal...

Neither do I. Especially given their objections to Monaco and their high tax and belief in the welfare state. To have a royal and to to annoy the British perhaps. Odd one.

 

[poppy7]

They probably donated thier pay to service charities...

I should hope so.

 

[Curryong]

I have several biographies on Harry and in none is it stated that he gave his salary of about 45 thousand pounds a year to charity, though he almost certainly gave some of his annual income privately to charities like Sentebale. He was also seen using a discount benefit card issued to members of the armed forces for use in certain British shops and restaurants during his army years. So I certainly believe that Harry knows the value of money, in spite of what tabloids like the DM would have readers believe.

 

[Pranter]

Regarding the Windsors IIRC they had a place in Paris because when Diana was there with Dodi something was said about his family having bought the Windsor's home there.

Re: Harry's salary, at the time seems like I heard it talked about that he donated his salary to charity, similar to what William did. Not sure they would even take a pension ..not sure either of them were in long enough to get one. Not sure what the requirements are in the British Military. The U.S. is typically 20 years for active duty.


LaRae

 

[poppy7]

I have several biographies on Harry and in none is it stated that he gave his salary of about 45 thousand pounds a year to charity, though he almost certainly gave some of his annual income privately to charities like Sentebale. He was also seen using a discount benefit card issued to members of the armed forces for use in certain British shops and restaurants during his army years. So I certainly believe that Harry knows the value of money, in spite of what tabloids like the DM would have readers believe.

He did not take a salary for his job. He just wouldn't be able too. Whose going to turn down a discount card though. Quids in. Funnily enough it was never mentioned though. Williams air ambulance salary was publically known. But nothing was ever said about their military service. They wouldn't have been paid though or it was reabsorbed or they donated it straight.

Who says he doesn't know the value of money? That he he doesn't know how much things cost or howhow to budget or have to think before you buy something I do think

 

[poppy7]

Regarding the Windsors IIRC they had a place in Paris because when Diana was there with Dodi something was said about his family having bought the Windsor's home there.

Re: Harry's salary, at the time seems like I heard it talked about that he donated his salary to charity, similar to what William did. Not sure they would even take a pension ..not sure either of them were in long enough to get one. Not sure what the requirements are in the British Military. The U.S. is typically 20 years for active duty.


LaRae

That is right. But Dodi's family rented it. I think it may have been sold recent,years by the government.

 

[Curryong]

The mansion in central Paris was where the Duchess of Windsor spent her last years as a frail old lady with dementia. She remained there till her death. It was off the Bois de Bologne.

 

[evolvingdoors]

Probability is what conjecture is based on.

I’m pretty sure this was discussed multiple times in the past, and basic logical reasons into why Meghan can not be as rich as her fans claim her to be has been talked about.

Allow me to repeat:
Suits was aired on a barely known (even in the US) cable network.
It had at most 3 million viewers (well actually I think it reached much lower than this mid way through its airing), and it wasn’t on the quality level of the likes of Mad Men or Games of Thrones (I recommend you check how much John Hamm made per episode for Mad Men first 4 seasons- as the lead! And that show was a major critics, people and rating success!)

It shot in Canada to save production money, that includes actors salary.

And most important: Meghan was a no name, 6th on the call list.
She likely made Union money or a bit higher. I would be surprised if she made more than 15k an episode. Maybe managed to negotiate a bit more when her relationship with Harry became known and she could use that publicity for leverage.
Take off management and PR (SS one of the most expensive!) fees and taxes she’d be left with half of that
She was rarely seen with truly expensive clothes or even a car.

Another point: She never owned any property.
LA is expensive, but you can still buy a nice little house for 2mil (maybe a bit less a few years ago). She never did.
One of the thing (maybe THE thing) that actors who made it love to mention is how this show/movie made it possible for them to buy a house. Because it means stability.
Meghan never did. Which is the most clear indication she either never earned enough to buy one, spend it, or was aiming for something way above her finances ability.

As for residual, Suits is now on syndication, I believe all main cast members get something, a preferred rage of their salary or a fixed rate, once a show goes into syndication and is aired. And it is on Netflix too.
So she probably gets something, but I would highly doubt it is more than peanuts money compared to what Harry probably gets from his trust fund, or the amounts Charles gives them.


So no, I don’t think they can afford the jet set expensive life, which imo, Meghan has proven to want.

 

[Osipi]

I never stated or implied that she was rich as Croesus but just basing residuals on her work with Suits isn't the only place she'd receive them from. She's been in and had the leading role in at least one movie that still plays from time to time on networks here (mostly the Hallmark channel). She also could have, at time time actively earning while acting, invested funds.

We really do not know at all what their financial status is and what they can afford or not afford. We'll probably never know and there's no obligation to tell us either. That's the major point of my arguments. ?

 

[Denville]

Do you really think that an actress who's been i a few hallmark movies and was soemthing like ONE of the actresses in one long running show that wasn't all THAT popular, is going to be making big money or masses of residual fees?
I'm told that she had some kind of line of clothing she was promoting.. but I would imagined that she had to sell that or step out from it, when she married Harry.
Its a good point about her never buying a house as that tends to be the first thing that someone who is "working their way up in the world" tends to buy, as its a roof and security...
if the 2 of them had such a handsome fortune between them why were they talking about making a professional income?? Why did the queen insist that they could not use their HRH's in a commercial setting if it wasn't likely that they would have to earn money in order to go on living and being solvent?? Esp when Living somewhere like a big house in LA?
If they had a large fortune between them, as people assert, and had said they didn't want to continue as royals but wanted to live a more private life and to choose what charities they worked with etc, then surely they would have enough money between them to buy a house, settle down in Canada or USA and go on with their new lives? There woudl have been no need for negotiations about their status and their HRH...
WE don't know exactly what money they have but we have a fair idea of Harry's fortune and overall, it is clear that it is not enough for them. They had a lot of things that they got free or low cost when they were royals. Now they'll have to pay for them.. and they don't have enough money, or they would not talk about earning a professional income.

 

[muriel]

if the 2 of them had such a handsome fortune between them why were they talking about making a professional income?? Why did the queen insist that they could not use their HRH's in a commercial setting if it wasn't likely that they would have to earn money in order to go on living and being solvent?? Esp when Living somewhere like a big house in LA?
If they had a large fortune between them, as people assert, and had said they didn't want to continue as royals but wanted to live a more private life and to choose what charities they worked with etc, then surely they would have enough money between them to buy a house, settle down in Canada or USA and go on with their new lives? There woudl have been no need for negotiations about their status and their HRH...
WE don't know exactly what money they have but we have a fair idea of Harry's fortune and overall, it is clear that it is not enough for them. They had a lot of things that they got free or low cost when they were royals. Now they'll have to pay for them.. and they don't have enough money, or they would not talk about earning a professional income.

I have no idea about Meghan's net worth, however I think Harry could have around £15m. This is slightly lower than the number I had previously estimated.

This is based on the assumption that he got c£10m from Diana's estate, and he paid around 40% inheritance tax on it, leaving him with around£6m. In the time since, it would doubled to around £12m, assuming he did not touch the money, and his lifestyle since had been funded by Charles. Further, he would have had some inheritances from the Queen Mother and from Diana's father, Johnnie Spencer, and allowing for a financial return on those, I estimate the c£15m net worth.

 

[Denville]

I have no idea about Meghan's net worth, however I think Harry could have around £15m. This is slightly lower than the number I had previously estimated.

This is based on the assumption that he got c£10m from Diana's estate, and he paid around 40% inheritance tax on it, leaving him with around£6m. In the time since, it would doubled to around £12m, assuming he did not touch the money, and his lifestyle since had been funded by Charles. Further, he would have had some inheritances from the Queen Mother and from Diana's father, Johnnie Spencer, and allowing for a financial return on those, I estimate the c£15m net worth.

I dont know if there is public information about the QM's will and what she left to Harry but she wasn't massively rich.. really was she as she was such a big spender.
Still she probably had some capital put aside for her grandchildren and Harry got some of it. And possibly John Spencer left H some money as well. But I agree that H's private fortune is probably not more than about £15M to maybe £20M. he did have death duties to pay, and then the money was tied up for him and Will as they were only kids and that would have given time for the fortune to increase. But Charles let him have £2M a year for his work and living expenses.. He also had free security and low rent accommodation.

 

[poppy7]

I dont know if there is public information about the QM's will and what she left to Harry but she wasn't massively rich.. really was she as she was such a big spender.
Still she probably had some capital put aside for her grandchildren and Harry got some of it. And possibly John Spencer left H some money as well. But I agree that H's private fortune is probably not more than about £15M to maybe £20M. he did have death duties to pay, and then the money was tied up for him and Will as they were only kids and that would have given time for the fortune to increase. But Charles let him have £2M a year for his work and living expenses.. He also had free security and low rent accommodation.

No rent accommodation. He didn't pay any rent until now. Eugenie does but I am sure it is a small amount or paid for her.

 

[Denville]

No rent accommodation. He didn't pay any rent until now. Eugenie does but I am sure it is a small amount or paid for her.

Im sure they paid some kind of token rent for Frogmore.. and now they have to pay back the money spent on refurbishing it...

 

[Osipi]

I dont know if there is public information about the QM's will and what she left to Harry but she wasn't massively rich.. really was she as she was such a big spender.
Still she probably had some capital put aside for her grandchildren and Harry got some of it. And possibly John Spencer left H some money as well. But I agree that H's private fortune is probably not more than about £15M to maybe £20M. he did have death duties to pay, and then the money was tied up for him and Will as they were only kids and that would have given time for the fortune to increase. But Charles let him have £2M a year for his work and living expenses.. He also had free security and low rent accommodation.

Its my understanding that all wills of the BRF are permanently sealed. Saw this recently in a documentary about Princess Margaret and the claim of this guy that believes he's Margaret's "love child".

We can go around and around about Harry's finances till the cows come home (maybe they went to the beach to cool off?) but arguing and speculating about any of their financial situations is getting us nowhere. I'm refraining from any further comment on the subject.

 

[poppy7]

Im sure they paid some kind of token rent for Frogmore.. and now they have to pay back the money spent on refurbishing it...

It is my understanding it was given to them. Like the Cambridges homes as part of their working lives.

 

[Eskimo]

We can go round and round talking about how much they have but it does not matter. What matters is that Harry and Meghan do not believe that they have enough.

If they had enough to sustain themselves the announcement in January would have been worded a lot differently. There would not be any talk to financial independence, because they would already have been financially independent. They wanted the "half in/half out" because they wanted to enjoy the financial privileges of being senior Royals but pick and choose the kind of engagements they undertook.

So it seems that they need to do something to make a lot of money. On a certain extremely pro-Meghan board, it is being said that they are asking for $1 million each per speech that they deliver. If true, this is more money per speech than the Clinton's and Obama's ask for. They obviously feel that they need this kind of money-otherwise they would not be asking for it.

 

[poppy7]

We can go round and round talking about how much they have but it does not matter. What matters is that Harry and Meghan do not believe that they have enough.

If they had enough to sustain themselves the announcement in January would have been worded a lot differently. There would not be any talk to financial independence, because they would already have been financially independent. They wanted the "half in/half out" because they wanted to enjoy the financial privileges of being senior Royals but pick and choose the kind of engagements they undertook.

So it seems that they need to do something to make a lot of money. On a certain extremely pro-Meghan board, it is being said that they are asking for $1 million each per speech that they deliver. If true, this is more money per speech than the Clinton's and Obama's ask for. They obviously feel that they need this kind of money-otherwise they would not be asking for it.

No one would get that. Who on earth. In fairness it may all be redundant anyway. You can't get people into a room to listen to the speeches.