Inside Meghan Markle and Prince Harry ‘struggle’ to run 9-bed £12million mansion with 15 staff

Running the Duke and Duchess of Sussexes’ sprawling nine-bedroom California mansion, which they share with their two children, Archie and Lili, comes at a hefty price tag.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are finding it challenging to manage their £12 million mansion, according a property expert.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex purchased their nine-bedroom dream home in California after stepping back from Royal duties in 2020. The expansive mansion has everything one could desire, including a library, office, spa, gym, game room, wine cellar – and 16 baths!

Situated on 5.4 acres of land, the Sussexes’ estate – where they live with six year old Prince Archie and three year old Princess Lilibet – is surrounded by beautiful gardens, as well as a tennis court, tea house, children’s cottage, pool, and five-car garage. However, an expert suggests that maintaining such a luxurious lifestyle comes with a hefty price tag and will cost the couple hundreds of thousands of pounds every year for upkeep.

Eric Bramlett, a realtor and owner of luxury real estate company Bramlett Residential, has given insight into the financial and physical strain of managing a property like the Sussexes’. Speaking to Fabulous, he revealed: “Managing a $14 million (£12 million) mansion like Harry and Meghan’s in Montecito takes a lot of work.”

Bramlett revealed that the Sussexes’ mansion would come with “high-operating costs”, likely needing 10-15 full-time staff members, such as housekeepers, a house manager, private chefs, groundsmen, and security.

The expert explained that in addition to staff salaries, the couple would also have to cover the cost for utilities, landscaping, maintenance, and security – which could total up to hundreds of thousands every year, not including the cost of major renovations and repairs, reports the Mirror.

Bramlett added: “It’s like running a small boutique hotel with residential service. The costs pile up quick, but it comes with luxury living.”

Luckily, money is one thing the Sussexes don’t need to worry about. Reports suggest that the couple have a combined net worth of £48 million, despite stepping down from their roles as senior working royals in 2020 and being forced to repay the taxpayer costs for the renovation of Frogmore Cottage, their former Windsor home.

Since relocating to the US, the industrious pair have managed to secure a number of lucrative deals, with big names like Netflix, publisher Penguin Random House, and Spotify.

Before Meghan joined the Royal Family through marriage, she was worth an estimated £3.5 million. The Duchess’ starring role as Rachel Zane in the popular legal drama Suits saw her earn an impressive £37,000 per episode.

Meanwhile, Prince Harry is financially secure, thanks to the Queen Mother. She placed a whopping £19 million in a trust fund for her beloved great-grandchildren, including Harry and William.

According to The Guardian, they divided £6 million of the trust when they were 21, with Harry snagging most of it to “compensate for not becoming sovereign”.

Additionally, our Prince will have another payday on his 40th birthday, getting more from the trust fund. Not to forget, Princess Diana made sure her boys are taken care of; according to Forbes, she left them close to £8 million post-tax.

This would mean about £340,000 annually for each of them, starting from their 25th birthday.