Since leaving the U.K. for America and blasting the royal family in a televised interview with Oprah Winfrey, things have changed a lot for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. After predictions that everyone in Hollywood would want to work with them, the public grew tired of their constant victim narrative, didn’t buy their story about a car chase through New York City, heard a Spotify executive call them “f****** grifters” following the cancellation of Meghan’s podcast, and saw them land on the “Biggest Losers of 2023” list.
The duke and duchess vowed that 2024 would be their “redemption year,” but apart from a few trips abroad, they’ve been working separately while their fans wait for new projects.
It’s no secret that Harry’s popularity has plummeted over the years so he’s been trying to get back into everyone’s good graces. Meanwhile, the former Suits star is combating damning reports that she’s a “dictator in high heels” and a “demon boss.”
Now, some royal experts are giving frank verdicts on what the Sussex brand really has become.
Why experts insist ‘Brand Sussex is in its death throes’
Oprah Winfrey Interviewing Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for primetime special | Harpo Productions, Joe Pugliese via Getty Images
A couple of royal commentators opined that the Sussexes have damaged their brand so badly and that is why they’ve been working separately on solo projects recently.
Columnist Angela Mollard told Sky News Australia: “They went over to America, they were going to be a power couple, who were going to be the next Michelle and Barack Obama or the next George and Amal Clooney and that hasn’t worked out for them. So they’re very much looking into separate professional lives. They’re sort of managing instead of being [seen as] a team, now being seen as two individuals, pursuing very different careers.”
Sky News contributor Louise Roberts added: “Brand Sussex as a concern together clearly is in its death throes. I think they both need to play to their strengths. Another mistake they’ve made is pinning their great romance and love story, the big story of redemption and freedom from the ‘evil’ royal family to their professional footprint.”
The solo projects Meghan and Harry have been working on
Prince Harry attends the 2024 Concordia Annual Summit in New York City | John Nacion/Getty Images
Harry has been seen out and about a lot lately. He reportedly hired a new PR specialist to rehabilitate his image on both sides of the pond ahead of the release of the paperback edition of Spare, and his Netflix documentary POLO which will debut in December.
The Duke of Sussex made appearances without his wife at a number of functions including a charity concert near their Montecito home and events in New York City during Climate Week before traveling to the U.K. for the Wellchild Awards.
As for Meghan, she has yet to fully launch her lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, but will be starring in an upcoming cooking and gardening show for Netflix. There’s no word yet on a premiere date for that.
