1/ It appears that #HarryandMeghan are forgoing their income from the Sovereign Grant, but will continue to receive income from the Duchy of Cornwall. Although Charles holds the Duchy personally - the phrase "financial independence from the monarchy" is doing a lot of work here.
2/ As #HarryandMeghan say here - sussexroyal.com/funding/ the funding from the Sovereign Grant only covered 5% of the costs of their office, the rest comes from the Duchy of Cornwall.
3/ It appears that they are forgoing that 5% to obtain greater freedom to operate as they please and to control more tightly how they work with the media, probably to use social media more, and perhaps more initiatives such as the Duchess's Vogue edition sussexroyal.com/media/
4/ Not receiving public money releases #HarryandMeghan from taking on activities that are not perhaps not of direct interest to them. They will be less obligated to do the smaller royal visits that many royal spend most of their time doing.
5/ It also appears that they intend to continue to live in Frogmore Cottage, which was refurbished by the Queen through the Sovereign Grant, although they did contribute to some of the costs. The Queen owns it and so they will continue to live there with her permission.
6/ What is uneasy about all of this is how they appear to be taking advantage of the complex and messy division between the public and the private when it comes to royal property. It's worked out very well for them.
7/ This division of the public and private feeds into their new status, as "major" royals of public interest, but no longer a "senior" royal and so now in a more "private" position. In very different circumstances, Diana ended up in this position and found this very difficult.
8/ The status of Harry was always going to become an issue, Charles wants the monarchy to focus more on the direct line of succession, him, William and ultimately George.
