Prince Harry will celebrate his 40th birthday on September 15, and to mark the occasion, the Duke of Sussex is expected to receive a particularly valuable birthday gift — $8.5 million —courtesy of his great-grandmother. In 2002, Queen Elizabeth I, mother of Queen Elizabeth II , passed away at the age of 101, leaving behind a substantial inheritance.
"The Queen Mother placed two-thirds of her [estimated] $120 million fortune into a trust fund for her great-grandchildren," royal author Christopher Andersen explained to Fox News. 3 View gallery Prince Harry, Kate Middleton and Prince William ( Photo: Danny Martindale/WireImage ) "She knew that when Prince William became Prince of Wales, which he did when his father became king, he would inherit the Duchy of Cornwall, which now boasts assets of over $1 billion. In divvying things up, the Queen Mother may have left Harry a skosh more.
” UK-based entertainment outlet The Mirror confirmed the author’s theory, reporting Harry would receive $8.5 million — a larger sum than his older brother. "The Queen Mother knew he would have fewer opportunities and responsibilities.
It was a logical and thoughtful decision." Queen mom's decision came long before Harry met and married Meghan Markle and the feud with the Royal family that ensued. "Of course, the princes' great-granny couldn't have anticipated all the trouble Harry caused the rest of the family.
I think she would have cut him out of [the trust] entirely had she known,” Ande.