Prince Harry and Meghan Markle wed in a high-profile ceremony back in 2018 after just under two years of dating. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were already having problems with some members of the royal family, but they were still seemingly excited about taking on their new royal roles as a married couple. Harry had been a working royal for years prior to meeting Meghan, but it was a new adventure for the two of them to work together.

However, new bombshell claims suggest that King Charles allegedly had doubts about making Meghan a working royal due to a lack of funding.

Prince William, Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and King Charles | Richard Pohle/WPA Pool/Getty Images

King Charles reportedly considered not allowing Meghan Markle to be a working royal

Charles has always preferred a slimmed-down monarchy. The king, who took the throne in 2022 after Queen Elizabeth II’s death at age 96, has since maintained that position. But new reports in Robert Jobson’s book “Catherine, the Princess of Wales” suggest that Charles was actually considering not having Meghan Markle take on a working royal role.

According to Express, Jobson claims that sources told him Charles wasn’t certain he would ever make Meghan a working royal, saying that Harry “claimed that his father told him there was ‘not enough money to go around’ for Meghan, because he was already having to pay for William and Catherine.” Jobson added that “Harry was furious” over the consideration.

Ultimately, we know that Meghan did become a working royal and remained one for roughly two years before she and Harry stepped down from their official royal duties in 2020. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have not completed royal duties on behalf of the monarchy since March of that year.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle seem content in their United States lives

Although Harry likely has moments where he misses his home country, he and Meghan seem content in their lives in California, where they’re raising their son and daughter, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. Harry has returned to the UK a number of times, but Meghan has not been back since the queen’s funeral in 2022.

Harry has said more than once that he will not bring his family back to the UK until he is given better security, but not much has been done on Charles’ side to help him with that. It remains unclear whether Charles would be willing to work with Harry on that, though now that Harry and Meghan have been moved out for four years with no security change for the Sussexes, it’s hard to imagine Charles will do something about it at this point.