Prince William 'disgruntled' over Prince Harry's $8.5M inheritance payday on 40th birthday: expert
Prince Harry is expected to get a reported $8.5 million payday on his birthday — but it seems not everyone is celebrating.
The U.K.’s Mirror previously reported that the Duke of Sussex, who is turning 40 on Sunday, will get the major cash haul from his late great-grandmother’s estate. The outlet reported that the amount is more than what Prince William received when he turned 40 because the Prince of Wales is heir to the British throne.
The Queen Mother died in 2022 at the age of 96.
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British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard claimed to Fox News Digital that the hefty inheritance will likely make William, 42, "disgruntled" following his younger brother’s tell-alls that have rocked the monarchy.
"[He feels] Harry has been unsupportive, scathing and hurtful towards the royal family," Chard claimed. "Prince Harry, on the contrary, will be elated that he has won the top prize as he has always felt inadequate to Prince William."
"King Charles will be mighty relieved that Prince Harry will now be financially comfortable for a while and not feel the need to write further memoirs attacking the royal family," Chard asserted.
"I don’t think King Charles will be more inclined to speak with his son due to Prince Harry’s ongoing fight against the U.K. government over taxpayer-funded security. Harry is desperate for his father’s help in securing his desired security protection."
Christopher Andersen, author of "The King," previously explained to Fox News Digital that the Queen Mother placed two-thirds of her estimated $120 million fortune into a trust fund for her great-grandchildren.
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"She knew that when Prince William became Prince of Wales, which he did when his father became king, he would inherit the Duchy of Cornwall, which now boasts assets of over $1 billion," he shared. "In the meantime, the value of the trust has simply increased, Harry's share along with it."
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Royal expert Hilary Fordwich also told Fox News Digital that William "isn’t happy" about Harry's birthday payout.
""Purportedly Prince William isn’t happy that Prince Harry will be inheriting $8.5 million from his great-grandmother, the Queen Mother’s estate," Fordwich claimed. "It’s not so much that he resents the money in any way. But the Queen Mother couldn’t have anticipated what Prince Harry has done to the family."
"She loathed Wallis Simpson for the damage she did to the monarchy and their entire family with the abdication crisis," said Fordwich, referring to the American divorcée who prompted Queen Elizabeth II’s uncle, Edward, Duke of Windsor, to abdicate the throne.
When Edward gave up his position as monarch, his brother George VI was crowned king. His daughter, then Princess Elizabeth, became next in line to the throne.
Edward and Wallis were cut off from the monarchy and struggled financially. They both went on to write memoirs as a source of income.
But not everyone may feel the same way as William, Fordwich pointed out.
"There is [thought]… that such a lump sum might help offset the need for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to sell more royal stories," she claimed.
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Chard says the inheritance will give the Duke and Duchess of Sussex "a breather" as they continue to navigate their life in America.
"It will be a very happy 40th birthday for Prince Harry, who will be thrilled to receive [his] inheritance…" said Chard. "The royal family, along with the public, hope that the Sussexes will get on with their lives without creating any further damage and upset."
"For now and with renewed vigor, King Charles and Prince William want to focus on the things they believe are currently important," she added.
Royal expert Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital he believes the king, 75, should make the first move in having peace talks with Harry. According to reports, the monarch has stopped answering his son’s phone calls.
"In my personal opinion, this milestone should force King Charles into action, rather than inertia and become the monarch Britain expects," Turner said. "Right now, it is a travesty that the values Harry and Meghan can bring to Britain are not effectively used. The inheritance is a sad reminder that his great-grandmother… saw the best in him."
Andersen previously told Fox News Digital there’s a good reason the trust doesn’t kick in until the big 4-0.
"Why 40? To a woman who nearly lived to be 102, one can only imagine that 40 seemed like the perfect age to come into some extra cash — when you're young enough to appreciate it but also old enough, and hopefully wise enough, not to blow it," said Andersen.
"Of course, the princes' great-granny couldn't have anticipated all the trouble Harry caused the rest of the family. I think she would have cut him out of [the trust] entirely had she known."
The U.K. Times reported in 2020 that Harry received a bequest from the Queen Mother, who put the bulk of her wealth into a trust fund for her grandchildren.
The outlet reported in 2002 that Queen Elizabeth II had avoided paying an inheritance tax of almost £20 million (about $25 million) on her mother’s legacy. This move enhanced the value of her grandchildren's fortune.
It also revealed that both William and Harry paid £8.4 million (about $10 million) in inheritance taxes on the £21 million (about $27 million) estate of their late mother, Princess Diana.
Harry is required to pay taxes on any of his future commercial earnings, the outlet added.
In July, the Duchy of Cornwall published its Integrated Annual Report for the 2023-2024 financial year, which marks William’s first full year as the Duke of Cornwall.
The heir to the British throne inherited the estate and title from his father. The inheritance was passed on to William when Charles ascended to the throne.
William received just over $30 million from his first full year's income from the Duchy of Cornwall estate.
As a working member of the royal family, William doesn't receive a traditional income, People magazine previously reported. According to the outlet, his annual expenses are largely covered by the Duchy of Cornwall, which was established by King Edward III in 1337 to provide funds for the heir.
The outlet reported that the estate, worth over $1 billion, spans 130,000 acres across 23 counties in England and Wales. It includes land, farms, houses and other assets to support the heir and the heir's family. It is understood that William pays income tax on the entire income he receives after subtracting household expenses. Those have not been specified.
In his 2023 memoir "Spare," Harry claimed the British media treated him and his wife as villains compared to virtuous William and his wife Kate Middleton. Harry also accused palace officials of lying to protect his older brother.
The Sussexes cited the media’s racist treatment of Meghan, who is biracial, and a lack of support from the palace as reasons for their decision in 2020 to quit royal duties and move to the U.S.
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In an explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021, the couple portrayed the royal family as indifferent to Meghan’s mental health struggles. Harry described his relationship with William as "space at the moment."
Harry lives in California with his wife, 43, and their two young children.