Prince Harry inherits over P500 million on 40th birthday—reports
Prince Harry inherited more than $10 million (over P500 million) from the royal family when he turned 40 last weekened, international outlets reported.
The Duke of Sussex, who celebrated his birthday last Sunday, Sept. 15, received the said amount from a trust fund created in 1994, according to a report by The London Times.
The fund was created by the late Queen Elizabeth II, who is said to have deposited an estimated amount of £19 million ($25 million or P1.3 billion) in 1994 for her great-grandchildren.
“It was a way in which the Queen Mother could set aside money for when her great-grandchildren were older and a way of passing a slice of her estate down in a tax-efficient way,” a former Palace aide told The Times. “It was a way in which some of her estate could be ring-fenced for them.”
Harry and his older brother, Prince William—who is next on the throne following King Charles III—received the money in two installments: on their 21st and 40th birthdays, the outlet reported.
Britain’s royal family publicly greeted Harry on his birthday for the first time since 2021.
“Wishing The Duke of Sussex a very happy 40th birthday today!” they wrote on X and Instagram as they shared a photo of a smiling Harry.
The post was shared by the X account of his brother William and his wife, Catherine, Princess of Wales, writing, “Wishing a Happy 40th Birthday to The Duke of Sussex!”
Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle have been living in their home state, California, since they stepped down as working members of the British royal family in 2020.
In a March 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex made some shocking revelations about their experiences at the Palace, including racism around their son Archie, a rift between Harry and his father Charles, and “mistreatment” from the British press that took a toll on their mental health and got them worried about the family’s security.
Despite this, he attended his father’s coronation in May 2023 but did not join the other members of the family on the Buckingham Palace balcony.
Meghan, meanwhile, last visited the UK in September 2022, for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. Their children last went to the UK in June that year, for Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee.