Prince Harry and Meghan Markle seem to be going on separate paths – professionally, that is.
After the Duke and Duchess of Sussex put on a united front to publicly detail their struggles with royal life, the couple is said to be focused on carving out individual roles for themselves.
Meghan is gearing up to launch her Netflix lifestyle series and brand. She is also embracing what some have described as her “influencer era” by teaming up with singer Billie Eilish to surprise a teenage fan who lost her home in the Los Angeles wildfires. Harry remains devoted to his passion project, the Invictus Games, which he’s kicking off on Feb. 8 in Vancouver.
“There is no reason why Meghan and Harry should not work separately on their projects, though they will sometimes appear together,” royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told Fox News Digital.
“The problem the Sussexes have is they have monetized their rift with the royal family so ruthlessly and would simply not be trusted by a great many Americans, especially with new bullying allegations made in Vanity Fair.”
Harry, 40, has had a troubled relationship with the royal family since the couple quit royal duties in 2020 and moved to California. According to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, the unbearable intrusions and racist attitudes of the British media prompted the move.
Since then, they’ve made headlines for detailing their struggles with royal life.
After sitting down for a televised interview with Oprah Winfrey that was viewed by nearly 50 million people globally in 2021, they unveiled their controversial Netflix docuseries, “Harry & Meghan,” in late 2022. Then, in early 2023, Harry’s memoir, “Spare,” was published.
Each launch highlighted new allegations about their time as working royals.
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British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard told Fox News Digital that the decision for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to depart professionally is a smart move. She noted that, together, they’re more well-known in the U.K. for airing dirty laundry.
“Prince Harry appears far more relaxed and happy when working on his own,” said Chard. “When he appears at events with Meghan, he seems nervous. Maybe this is his protective side kicking in, although he allows Meghan to take center stage. [But] this is where things go slightly pear-shaped.”
“Meghan loves the limelight and sadly the public is not keen on the recurring pattern of the ‘Meghan: Me, Myself and I’ show,” Chard claimed. “Maybe… Meghan sees herself as an entertainment powerhouse. [She] could work toward a production for the good of others and encourage others to take the lead role.”
Chard noted that Meghan, in particular, has been attempting to revamp her image by entering her influencer era.
On New Year’s Day, the 43-year-old launched her first Instagram account since 2020. It currently has 1.6M followers. Since then, she has posted about her Netflix show, “With Love, Meghan,” and more recently, uploaded a clip where she described how she managed to get signed merchandise by Billie Eilish for a family who lost their home to the LA fires.
But not everyone was convinced by the kind gesture.
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“Meghan Markle views herself as a champion of compassion and may well feel she is a kind, generous soul teaching the world to be kind,” said Chard. “But quite frankly, her new video feels distinctly inauthentic and odd.”
“The video has an air of cringe factor,” Chard claimed. “Some may also perceive the footage as the beginning of Meghan the influencer until you listen to the narrative and realize Meghan has managed to spin a private story into her PR platform. This is another self-indulgent attempt to stay relevant. Receiving a signed Billie Eilish package is surely a drop in the ocean in comparison to your house being burnt to cinders due to the LA fires.”
But not everyone feels the same.
“It was a sweet story,” said Fitzwilliams. “A starstruck 15-year-old child lost a treasured Billie Eilish T-shirt in tragic circumstances when she also lost her home. Meghan’s [post explains] how she obtained a replacement and other gifts from Eilish for the teenager via the singer Adam Levine and his wife Behati.”
“As a teenager, I used to have a crush on Elizabeth Taylor and know how thrilled I was when I received a personal letter from her,” said Fitzwilliams. “I know how delighted [the child] will feel to get these personalized gifts.”
When it comes to reshaping their public image, the couple has their work cut out for them – and they seem to know it. In October, a friend of the couple told People magazine that “a twin-track approach is evolving.”
According to the insider, Harry is determined to immerse himself in philanthropic efforts, while Meghan leans into “entrepreneurial projects and commercial ventures.”
“The duke and duchess have now hit their stride as individuals – not just as a couple,” said the source. “The duke appears focused on his patronage work, and the duchess focused on her entrepreneurial track.”
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The outlet noted that since stepping back from royal life, Harry has maintained his commitment to various patronages. He serves as a patron of about 10 charitable organizations and will continue to make solo appearances to highlight them.
Modeled after the Warrior Games in the United States, Harry founded the Invictus Games in 2014 as a Paralympic-style event designed to inspire military veterans around the world as they work to overcome battlefield injuries. Harry was a captain in the British Army.
Before joining the British royal family, Meghan had a lifestyle blog, The Tig. It was shut down after she became engaged to Harry in 2017. One of her first initiatives as a member of the royal family was to partner with the Hubb Community Kitchen for a fundraising cookbook.
“With Love, Meghan” is the mother of two’s first solo hosting project for Netflix. Last year, she also gave a glimpse of her upcoming lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard. Several of her celebrity pals showed off her strawberry jam on Instagram.
But People magazine reports that the couple still has shared initiatives. Through their Archwell Foundation, Meghan “remains invested” in mental health and children’s welfare. According to the outlet, the pair launched The Parents Network, which aims to support families who’ve been impacted by online harm. Insiders told the outlet that the couple’s joint work for the initiative will continue.
“An entrepreneurial and enterprise focus is going to be more the duchess’ priority, and the duke will continue to champion his not-for-profit patronages,” said the friend. “But there will be joint efforts around those cause-driven areas of work.”
Chard noted that whether the couple works separately or not, they won’t be able to escape critics. Their best approach, she said, is “to learn from past mistakes” – which they should have done by now.
“[Meghan, in particular], will do herself the world of good by keeping her head down and quietly heading on,” said Chard.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex reside in the wealthy, coastal city of Montecito with their son Prince Archie and daughter Princess Lilibet.
