While royal fans had previously claimed that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle would be making as much as $1 million per appearance on the speaking circuit, insiders are now saying that it is likely that the ex-royal duo is earning far less.
According to The Sun , an international consultant who runs VIP corporate events in both the United Kingdom and the United States has claimed that a more realistic estimate is that the pair are receiving less than half of what was previously reported. The insider explained that a large reason was because of Prince Harry and Meghan’s restrictive list of demands for speaking engagements.
“Realistically their earnings range is closer to $250k to $400k,” the source said.
“While every speaker has a right to demand the parameters of an appearance, as the price increases often so do the expectations of clients,” the insider added.
“The contract paperwork appears to read that the speakers have full control of the client’s event. It certainly raises eyebrows and will put off many potential large corporations.”
The consultant said that the level of control is one that is not seen in 99 percent of those on the speaking circuit.
“No speaker or paid guest, in my experience, has ever been allowed to have approval of each aspect of a corporate event, including former U.S. Presidents,” the insider explained.
The consultant alleged that the demands will mean that the Sussexes will have to compromise on price in order to maintain such a level of control over the speaking events.
“Not many clients ever like inviting talent as star guests, who may be seen as running their event and telling them what to do,” the source concluded.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are currently signed with the Harry Walker Agency for their public speaking engagements. The New York-based firm is known for representing both A-list Hollywood talent as well as political leaders. Other famous figures in the agency’s roster include Barack and Michelle Obama, Hillary and Bill Clinton, and Oprah Winfrey.
The duke and duchess are believed to have at least one paid speaking engagement under their belt, having appeared at a JPMorgan summit in Miami this past winter. No details about their fee have been provided.
However, while the Sussexes may be making less than previously reported concerning their speaking engagements, the two are unlikely to be pinching pennies following the announcement of the pair’s mega-deal with Netflix.
As was reported by The Inquisitr , the former royal couple are planning on creating a number of projects with the streaming platform, including an animated series aiming to inspire women and a nature docu-series. The contract has been estimated to be worth as much as $150 million.