The royals panic over the queen’s will — and worry new duchess Meghan Markle will get their money!
Royal outrage! Will Queen Elizabeth II shortchange her heirs while taking care of new duchess Meghan Markle?
Four hundred and eighty-five million dollars. That staggering sum is how much Queen Elizabeth II is worth. And at 92 years old, the U.K.’S longest-reigning monarch has been thinking hard about her legacy — and who will get a piece of her pie when she’s gone. “The queen has a personal will and testament,” confirms royal expert Marlene Koenig, who says that Elizabeth’s eldest son, Charles, the future king, will inherit the bulk of her estate. “But other family members will have been provided for, such as trust funds for her children and grandchildren.”
Add her grand-daughterin-law to that list. In Touch has learned that the queen plans to leave money to her favorite new protégée, Meghan Markle, even though the 37-year-old American divorcée has been wed to the queen’s grandson, Prince Harry, 33, for just a few months. That news has sent shock waves through the House of Windsor. “The way some of them see it,” says an insider, “Meghan will be inheriting money that should be theirs.”
FAMILY DRAMA Charles, 69, is among the protesters. “He believes that the queen should get to know Meghan more before making any rash decisions,” says the insider. “He’s accused his mother of thinking with her heart, not her head.” Plus, Charles has to worry about his mother leaving Meghan a chunk of money but not including his wife, Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, 71, in the will at all. “Imagine if Meghan gets money or a piece of jewelry but Camilla gets nothing,” says the insider. “That will sting.”
Then there’s Prince William’s wife, Kate Middleton, 36. While she generally likes Meghan, she’s
“secretly jealous that the queen is giving Meghan preferential treatment,” says the insider. “Since Meghan joined the family, the queen is always raving about Harry’s wife and makes time to see her as often as she can. Kate feels left in Meghan’s shadow.”
Meanwhile, Charles’ brother, Andrew, 58, is “livid,” says the insider, because he feels William and Harry are favored over his own daughters, Princess Beatrice, 30, and Princess Eugenie, 28, says the insider. “He thinks his girls are treated unfairly.”
But all the complaining in the kingdom can’t change the stubborn ruler’s mind. “The queen thinks the world of Meghan and views her as a great role model and leader,” says the insider. “She can do no wrong. Elizabeth supports Meghan 100 percent, and is adamant about making sure she’s well looked after.”