Meghan Markle signs deal with Disney amid royal exit: Report
She reportedly recorded a voiceover in return for a donation to the Botswanan nonprofit Elephants Without Borders
Meghan Markle appears to be taking her pursuit for independence seriously after Wednesday's announcement that she and her husband, Prince Harry, were stepping back from their senior position in the royal family to be part-time royals.
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The Duchess of Sussex is said to have inked a deal with Disney before the couple shocked the world with their royal exit plans via Instagram, according to a report from The Sunday Times, a British national newspaper.
The publication states Meghan recorded a voiceover for Disney in return for a donation to the Botswanan nonprofit Elephants Without Borders, which aims to protect the giant mammals from poaching.
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This secret recording was allegedly done before Meghan, Prince Harry and 7-month-old Archie left for a six-week-long sabbatical in Canada, which took place ahead of the Christmas holiday.
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FOX Business reached out to Disney and Elephants Without Borders to confirm the accuracy of the report but did not receive a response by the time of publication.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DIS | THE WALT DISNEY CO. | 114.72 | +0.46 | +0.40% |
This news comes six months after Meghan and Prince Harry attended the U.K. premiere "The Lion King" in London.
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Meghan made headlines at the red carpet event when a brief video was released of the Duchess speaking to American musician Pharrell about the challenge that coincides with royal life.
"We cheer you guys on," Pharrell remarked, to which Meghan replied, "Oh, thank you. They don't make it easy."
There is no news yet about how the royal couple will become financially independent, but if Meghan's voiceover work goes well, perhaps the Duchess will be able to return to acting.
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The Sussex Royal website was updated to reflect how the current structure and financing arrangements impact funding and future goals. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are "prohibited from earning any income in any form" and don't benefit financially from their charitable endeavors.
Moreover, the website explains that the pair are choosing this new model because "they value the ability to earn a professional income" and that there is a precedent of other title-holding members of the royal family who earn an income from full-time jobs while supporting the monarchy.
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Previous to their announcement, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex received 5 percent of their funding for their official office through the Sovereign Grant in 2019. However, the website notes, "Public funding has never been used, nor would it ever be used for private expenditure by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who also do not receive any tax privileges."