Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have not taken on any royal duties since they left the family back in 2020. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex then relocated to Montecito, California, where they are raising their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. Still, the two are working on building up their own brands, and they recently took two trips to different countries in 2024 with the hopes of not only doing philanthropic work but also helping their reputations. Now, though, one source claims the two are “unsure” of how to move forward after facing backlash for their travels.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle | Joshua Sammer/Getty Images

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s recent tours leave them questioning their next move

Harry and Meghan have been a public-facing duo since before they tied the knot back in 2018. And even after stepping back from royal duties, the two continued to remain in the public eye. In May 2024, Harry and Meghan took a trip to Nigeria, which had all the makings of a royal tour, and their August 2024 trip to Colombia felt the same way. Those close to the couple said the tours were not only a way to do charitable work but also a way to bring positive publicity to two people who have long-struggled to build up their reputations.

But now, a source close to the Sussexes said that Harry and Meghan are struggling with the backlash they faced from their trips. It seems some people aren’t pleased with the costs associated with hosting the two (though there have been claims that Harry and Meghan helped foot the expenses associated with their arrival), and not everyone is buying into their all-smiles attitude.

“Both Meghan and Harry are keen to do more of these tours as that’s what they love doing and what they enjoyed most about royal life,” a source told OK!. “But they’ve been left embarrassed by this latest backlash, especially as they faced similar comments when they went to Nigeria.”

The source said that Meghan and Harry wanted to “raise awareness” of some of the issues plaguing these countries. “They also know that these trips help elevate their status in Hollywood and in turn help their brand. They don’t want to stop doing them but are unsure of what to do next to win everyone over again.”

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are struggling to win over the public

Harry and Meghan have been trying to rebuild themselves since moving to the United States in 2020. However, it hasn’t been that easy. There are still many people who don’t think the two handled their royal exit as well as they could have, and with Meghan and Harry both having public-facing brands (Meghan’s lifestyle brand and cooking show plus Harry’s Invictus Games Foundation), it’s necessary that their public rating improves.

It’s unclear what the next steps are for the duke and duchess and whether they’ll re-evaluate future trips.