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Meghan Markle Reportedly 'Wanted Out' Of Royal Family After Learning That Prince William Would Be In Charge Of Her Finances After Racking Up $500K Clothing Tab, Source Reveals

May 2, 2026 by Abigail Connolly
shefinds | Celebrity

It’s no secret that a lot of factors seemingly went into Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s exit from the royal family. However, it looks like a rift between her and Prince William might’ve been a large factor.

A source close to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex recently revealed that the As Ever founder reportedly “wanted out” of the royal family due to a conflict between her and her brother-in-law. The issue allegedly involved an incident where Meghan realized she didn’t want Prince William to take control of her and her husband’s finances, with the source claiming she had a tendency to spend a lot during her days with the royals, upwards of $500K in one year. Read more about the claims below.

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Insider Claims Meghan Markle 'Wanted Out' When She Realized Prince William Would Take Control Of Her & Harry's Finances

One of the most notorious, dramatic incidents to ever occur in the history of the royal family was the departure of Prince Harry and the Suits alum in 2020. After stepping away from their royal duties and moving from the UK to California to raise their two children, more stories and reports have continued to emerge about the struggles and challenges they faced or took part in before leaving.

 

Recently, an inside source spoke to People and Us Weekly Editor-in-Chief Dan Wakeford for his newsletter, Celebrity Intelligence, stating that one of the big things leading up to the controversial couple stepping away from royal life was the change in their budget and expenses. When they were working royals, King Charles III controlled the Duchy of Cornwall, the old estate from which they got their money, used for their desired and needed expenses.

 

However, it was known that after the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, Prince William would control the estate, a tradition that allegedly disturbed Meghan.

 

"When she realized that William was going to be in charge of how much they were getting for the rest of their lives, she wanted out," the source told Wakeford, as reported by Radar Online.

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Meghan Markle Reportedly Spent $500K In One Year While Living With The Royal Family

Though she was seen doing a lot of royal appearances and more while being a working royal, the Duchess of Sussex allegedly enjoyed her fair share of spending, allocating a lot of funds for clothing and jewelry. According to the above publication, she reportedly spent about $500K on designer clothing alone, which makes sense, as she became well known for her chic wardrobe during her years with the monarchy.

 

Therefore, when she realized that her brother-in-law, with whom she had already been having a few altercations, was taking over her finances, she apparently realized that wasn't how she wanted to live. This is on top of the other issues she had with the royal life, as well as the high scrutiny she faced from the media.

Author:

Editorial Assistant

Abigail is a journalist based in Brooklyn, New York. As an Editorial Assistant for SheFinds, she covers topics ranging from celebrity news and fashion to wellness. She has written for other publications, including Chip Chick, Bandsintown, BroadwayWorld, and more. When she isn't writing, Abigail loves spending time in the city with her friends, being a 'dog mom' to her Chihuahua, and singing along to some of her favorite music.

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Donald and Melania Trump at event
Angelina Jolie at AFI Fest red carpet
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce together
Ivanka Trump at Fontainebleau Las Vegas opening
Barron Trump at Donald Trump's inauguration
Ariana Grande at the Oscars ceremony
Meghan Markle at Invictus Games Day 4 event.
Gigi Hadid at Le Grand Diner du Louvre photocall.
Nate Bargatze at the Stand Up For Heroes benefit.
Taylor Swift at the Grammy Awards
Jelly Roll and Bunnie XO at Pre-Grammy gala
Donald Trump and Barack Obama together
Machine Gun Kelly at the BET Awards
Catherine, Princess of Wales, at a wreath-laying service.
Harper Beckham at the 'Victoria Beckham' Netflix premiere.
Shania Twain at Universal Music's Grammy Awards after-party.
Kim Kardashian attending the TIME 100 Gala event.
Ivanka Trump with Tiffany, Kai, and Bettina Trump.
Donald Trump at UFC Freedom 250 event.
Catherine, Princess of Wales, at RHS Wellbeing Garden visit.