Harry and Meghan juggle new projects amidst declining public interest and scrutiny over their ventures

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who were once the talk of the town across the Atlantic, are facing back-to-back setbacks. The Suits star, ever the trendsetter, is reportedly ‘under pressure’: waning celebrity in the fickle court of American public opinion. This comes as the couple tries to manage a complicated relationship with the British Royal Family while also carrying out their personal endeavours and projects while touring the world under their philanthropic works.

“There is a growing rift between Harry and Meghan caused by Meghan’s increasing concern that her life is not going in the direction she had planned,” Royal author and expert Tom Quinn told The Mirror. In recent weeks, multiple reports have indicated that the Duke and Duchess, who left the UK in 2020 to settle in Meghan’s home state of California, initially received a warm welcome and made many friends in Hollywood.

However, recent surveys indicate that their interest among the American public has waned, signaling a decline in their popularity. Experts suggest that this decrease in public interest is causing great pressure on Meghan.

Quinn added that Meghan “loves media attention and hates the fact that surveys suggest she and Harry are no longer of much interest to the American public.”

‘Meghan feels very much under siege’

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have navigated a busy few months. While their Netflix deal faced renegotiation and their Spotify podcast went quiet, they secured two new projects with the streaming giant. Harry’s legal battle in the UK over security continues, with an appeal planned. On the positive side, Meghan launched her American Riviera Orchard lifestyle brand, though it faces competition in the market and was even mocked for being overpriced. Additionally, she’ll be starting a new podcast with Leomonada Media.

Quinn said: “With news that the couple’s Netflix contract may be under threat, along with the mockery that greeted the launch of her online brand, Meghan feels very much under siege.”

Meghan feels people are ‘unfairly picking on her’

According to a royal author, Meghan’s fans were initially very excited about her lifestyle brand. She even played with the idea of the brand on social media and gave away some complimentary samples to her Hollywood friends. The brand, which is planned to provide kitchen and home decor appliances, her personal range of oils, nut butters, jams, jellies, etc, created a lot of excitement at the beginning. Yet, the excitement has gradually waned, and Quinn thinks Meghan is likely feeling quite upset about the drop in interest.

“She has reached the point now where she thinks that anything and everything she does will be unfairly criticized. Like her husband, she feels that people are unfairly picking on her – she cannot understand why people don’t admire her work,” Tom Quinn earlier told the outlet adding that Meghan is ‘sensitive’ to criticism of her luxurious lifestyle in the US, as she believes it should be admired rather than criticised.