Harry and Meghan live like billionaires when they are not

Harry and Meghan must have had big plans to live a glamorous, high-spending life of sheer luxury on the back of their fame as perhaps the best known couple on the planet. And apparently Meghan thought that Harry was genuinely rich when he was not. She must have had big aspirations from the get go. She probably visualised the billionaire lifestyle in California and 'by George' they live in a house that signals billionaire lifestyle but the upkeep of it is crippling them financially. I think it is said that the overall costs of the house annually are around $4m including security. It is a superb home but a home that is the manifestation of Meghan's unsustainable dream. She can't make that dream a reality.

One reason is that they are not as popular as they'd like to be. Many people actually dislike them. And I think the problem begins with Meghan. She is the driving force. She is ambitious. Sometimes I think she planned the whole thing including catching Harry the prince from years ago. 

Harry is unambitious. He'd be much happier in Africa working in a children's charity. At the sharp end. Using his hands not his brain. I feel pretty sure that he is in the wrong place, living the wrong life. He is living her life.

She wanted to have the billionaire lifestyle married to the most eligible prince in the world. Beware what you wish for as the saying goes.

Meghan can't get her 'For Ever' business off the ground properly. She can't scale it up. There was a surge of interest at the beginning from customers who wanted a bit of the action. To keep one of her jams on the mantlepiece but that interest has faded. In the meantime Meghan produced way too much stock which she can't sell. Apparently $5m worth.

And Harry cranked up enormous costs risks in his litigation against the newspapers for alleged hacking. Fortunately he won that claim so he is no longer at risk of paying the other side's costs in the millions of pounds. But litigation is stressful and I'd bet that it was a source of discussion or even argument in the Harry household for a long time because of the expense of it. It was a very high risk process for Harry and it is Meghan who I feel takes care of the money side of things. She takes the burden of ensuring that the family stays afloat financially. That's what it looks like.

This difference between the two on ambition and issues of money, earning it and controlling expenses will create stresses. It may even lead to a break up. 

Yes, Harry and Meghan live like billionaires without sufficient income. The home they bought was owned by a Russian billionaire. Enough said. It takes a billionaire to maintain that kind of property without stress. I can foresee them selling the home in the not to distant future. And Harry spending more time in the UK. He is in the wrong place. He really is. The lifestyle he lives is one created primarily by Meghan. It is what she wanted for herself. He is an accessory to that lifestyle.

That is not to say that they don't love each other. They do I am sure but the background attitude from Meghan is stressing the family. Ambition is stressful. He wants the quiet life in an African village!

Here is some more on the home:

🏡 Who owned the house before Harry and Meghan?

The property — known as The Chateau or The Chateau of Riven Rock — was previously owned by Sergey Grishin, a Russian businessman who purchased it in 2009 for $25.3 million.

Multiple reputable sources identify him as a Russian billionaire and oligarch, sometimes nicknamed the “Scarface Oligarch” because he once owned another California mansion used in the 1983 Scarface film.

💰 Was he a billionaire?

Yes. Grishin was widely reported as a billionaire due to his role in Russia’s banking sector and his involvement in large‑scale financial schemes. Investigations linked him to the so‑called “Global Laundromat” — a massive movement of Russian funds into Western banks — which reportedly involved tens of billions of dollars.

📉 Did he sell at a loss?

Yes. Grishin bought the estate for $25.3 million in 2009 and sold it to Harry and Meghan in 2020 for $14.7 million, taking a substantial loss.

🧭 Summary

• Previous owner: Sergey Grishin

• Background: Russian oligarch / billionaire

• Purchase price (2009): $25.3M

• Sale price to Harry & Meghan (2020): $14.7M

• Billionaire status: Yes, widely reported as such

P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are often written at breakneck speed, sometimes using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins. Also, sources for news articles are carefully selected but the news is often not independently verified. And, I rely on scientific studies but they are not 100% reliable. Finally, (!) I often express an OPINION on the news. Please share yours in a comment.