'Meghan Markle's money is rolled into the Royal Family pot'

Before she became a member of the Royal Family, Meghan Markle had a successful acting career.

She was best known for her role as paralegal Rachel Zane in US legal drama Suits, which she starred in from 2011 to 2017.

Before she married Prince Harry in May 2018, Meghan had a reported worth of $5 million, according to royal finances expert David McClure.

Speaking to Yahoo UK‘s ‘The Royal Box,‘ he says: “She was on a salary of about half a million dollars a year and that series ran for about six years, so quite a bit of money was accumulated from that.”

California-born Meghan announced she was giving up her acting career, following her engagement to Harry in November 2017. But what has happened to her wealth since marrying into the Royal Family?

According to Mr McClure, “the money she has goes into the general [royal] household needs.”

READ MORE: Who pays for Meghan and Harry’s royal baby?

The Prince of Wales funds his immediate family (the Sussexes and the Cambridges) and relies on the Duchy of Cornwall for the majority of his income.

This is a private estate which owns and operates a vast amount of land and properties across the country, bringing in an annual surplus in excess of £20 million ($26.5 million) that goes to Charles and Camilla.

Charles does pay income tax on the annual revenue and this is used to fund his family’s public, charitable and private activities.

Mr McClure also points out: “It should also not be forgotten that Prince Harry isn’t short of funds, he inherited from Diana about £7 million. There’s also a trust fund that he gets from the Queen Mother, that must be worth another few million pounds, so he could be worth another £10 million.”

Meghan and Harry moved into their new home Frogmore Cottage in Windsor this week, according to reports. They are just weeks away from welcoming their first child.