Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are expected to spend at least £15million to fund their new life in the UK, according to reports. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex returned to Britain earlier this week with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, and their two dogs, Pula and Mia.
The couple announced their move just a week before arriving, six years after they left the UK for a new life in the US. The reason for their dramatic decision has not been disclosed.
Property costs in the Cotswolds
The Sussexes are thought to have found a property in the Cotswolds, though it is not known whether they have bought or rented it. Property expert Jonathan Bramwell, from Bramwell Prime Property Search, told The Times that homes in the north of the Cotswolds had become more expensive than those in the south.
Bramwell said: "I would have thought in the north Cotswolds finding a good six to seven bedroom house with staff accommodation and at least five to 10 acres around it to give you the privacy element, that's certainly not going to cost less than £10million." He added that even in the south, a similar property could cost more than £7.5million.
Rentals of this style are rare, he said, and would cost between £20,000 and £40,000 per month in the north, and £15,000 to £20,000 in the south.
Security and schooling expenses
Another major expense is security. The Sussexes are not entitled to armed police protection since stepping down as senior working royals in 2020, so they must fund their own. Harry recently had his threat level reassessed, but the outcome has not been revealed, and he reportedly wrote to the Home Secretary for an update.
John Moore, managing director of Westminster Security, said he would recommend at least four bodyguards and two vehicles with security chauffeurs. He told the newspaper: "It would be minimum £3million a year and depending on many other variables, such as international travel and public events, it could well go up to £5 million."
The children's education is another cost. Archie and Lilibet have been enrolled in British schools and are expected to start in September. Melanie Sanderson, managing editor of The Good Schools Guide, said: "The Sussexes could be looking at fees ranging from about £28,000 a year at the smaller, more basic country prep schools, to upwards of £50,000 for two children attending a top day school in the Cotswolds."
Ongoing US commitments
The Sussexes are said to be keeping their properties in the US and Portugal. It is estimated they would have to pay up to £443,000 ($600,000) to maintain their mansion in Montecito, California. The newspaper stressed that it is not clear how the couple intend to make money in the UK.
