{"id":880148,"date":"2026-04-08T12:39:22","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T12:39:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/880148\/"},"modified":"2026-04-08T12:39:22","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T12:39:22","slug":"prince-harry-and-megan-markles-brand-crisis-and-whats-next","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/880148\/","title":{"rendered":"Prince Harry and Megan Markle\u2019s Brand Crisis and What\u2019s Next"},"content":{"rendered":"

After struggling to find their footing in Hollywood, Prince Harry<\/strong><\/a> and Meghan Markle<\/strong><\/a> seemed to finally hit their stride in late 2025. Meghan made a splashy Fashion Week debut in October at Balenciaga\u2019s Spring\/Summer 2026 runway show<\/a>, positioning herself as a formidable player in the lifestyle space six months after launching her As Ever<\/a> line of jams and teas. She landed the cover of Harper\u2019s Bazaar\u2019s winter issue, and in December, it was announced that the couple\u2019s Archewell Productions would produce the film adaptation of the bestselling book The Wedding Date for Netflix.<\/p>\n

Then the chips started to fall. Multiple outlets reported in January that Meghan\u2019s lifestyle series, With Love, Meghan<\/a>, wasn\u2019t being renewed for a third season, and in early March, Us Weekly confirmed that Netflix had ended its partnership<\/a> with her As Ever brand. At the time, an insider told Us the streamer had \u201ccut ties\u201d with Meghan because her show was \u201cnot performing well.\u201d (Harry and Meghan signed a $100 million deal with Netflix in 2020; it was downgraded to a first-look deal in July 2025.)<\/p>\n

In mid-March, Variety published a bombshell report<\/a> claiming Harry and Meghan had a falling out with Netflix, with low ratings and poor communication factoring into the demise of the partnership. A spokesperson for the couple denied the accusations<\/a>, and Netflix exec Bela<\/strong> Bajaria<\/strong> told Variety that Archewell \u201chas been a thoughtful and collaborative partner.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now it seems Harry and Meghan are back to square one, with a few projects in the works (in addition to The Wedding Date<\/a>, they\u2019re working on an adaptation of the romance novel Meet Me at the Lake and a scripted series about polo) \u2014 but no clear path forward. \u201cThe main issue is they haven\u2019t made the right decisions creatively,\u201d says a source. \u201cIn Hollywood, you only get so many chances to make mistakes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"MeghanAaron Chown\/PA Images via Getty Images<\/p>\n

The Variety article claimed interpersonal and professional issues plagued the relationship between the Sussexes and Netflix. Sources said Meghan would often \u201ctalk over\u201d or \u201crecast\u201d Harry\u2019s thoughts in meetings (Harry called the assertion \u201ccategorically false\u201d in a statement to Variety), and would \u201cdisappear\u201d for long stretches during video meetings, with Netflix\u2019s marketing team later being informed Meghan had been \u201coffended by something that was said.\u201d Meghan\u2019s lawyer, Michael J. Kump<\/strong>, said the duchess, who shares son Archie, 6, and daughter Lilibet, 4, with Harry, is a typical work-from-home parent who \u201coften encounters children who enter the space unexpectedly during a meeting.\u201d<\/p>\n

The outlet also claimed Harry and Meghan\u2019s \u201cbedside manner has ruffled feathers\u201d and that Netflix was not informed the couple had planned their bombshell 2021 CBS interview prior to its airing. There was also said to be tension over Harry\u2019s 2023 tell-all<\/a>, Spare, overshadowing Netflix\u2019s Harry & Meghan docuseries. (A Sussex spokesperson called the claims \u201ccategorically false\u201d and \u201cuntrue,\u201d and at a Netflix event on March 18, Bajaria said, \u201cdon\u2019t believe whatever you read\u201d when asked about the Variety story.)<\/p>\n

David E. Johnson<\/strong> of Strategic Vision PR says there were \u201cconsistent reports of creative differences, high expectations, and challenges in execution\u201d when it came to Harry and Meghan\u2019s Netflix deal. Former media exec Travis Pomposello<\/strong> adds: \u201cThere was a gap between what was expected and what was delivered. Harry and Meghan still bring attention,\u201d he adds, \u201cbut the bigger question is whether that attention leads to lasting shows, not just launch-day buzz.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harry and Meghan are trying to look at the bright side. According to the source, the couple have wanted \u201cmore creative freedom\u2026 and now they can partner with various streamers and networks depending on who buys their projects.\u201d A second source close to the Sussexes underscores that the first-look deal<\/a> with the streamer is \u201cstill very active,\u201d with various projects in development and With Love, Meghan, set to return as a seasonal special. The source adds that Netflix still has an office space on the lot for Archewell employees.<\/p>\n

\"RecentRonald Martinez\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

The first source says it\u2019s \u201cbusiness as usual\u201d for the Sussexes. \u201cThey look at hit pieces [like the Variety article] as something that comes with the territory. They\u2019re used to it.\u201d However, a third source who has worked with the Sussexes tells Us that Meghan is \u201cdisappointed\u201d that her show didn\u2019t truly take off. \u201cShe poured so much heart and soul into it and really believed in it,\u201d says the source, adding that Netflix had predicted \u201cmuch higher\u201d viewership numbers. The second source maintains that With Love, Meghan <\/a>was \u201con par\u201d with other lifestyle shows on Netflix.<\/p>\n

Experts agree Harry and Meghan have a brand identity issue. Johnson says they lost momentum shortly after they arrived in Hollywood following their 2020 exit<\/a> from royal life. \u201cThey were everywhere. It became nearly impossible to watch the news or scroll online without seeing them. At the same time, their brand lacked [definition]. Were they still royals? Private citizens? Activists? Media entrepreneurs? They never answered that question.\u201d<\/p>\n

PR expert Mark Borkowski<\/strong> says the public wants clarity. \u201cWhen a brand arrives and says, \u2018We are many things, all of them meaningful,\u2019 the audience hears: \u2018Work it out yourself.\u2019 And they don\u2019t,\u201d he adds. Brand and PR expert Natalie Trice<\/strong> believes that while \u201cthere\u2019s still strong public interest in what Meghan does,\u201d her constantly changing stance is problematic. \u201cIs [her thing] jam? Is it fashion? Is it charity work? Yes, you can do it all \u2014 but that true passion needs to be clear.\u201d The second source, however, contends that they have various types of projects that speak to their interests.<\/p>\n

The first source says their projects to date \u201chave [too] narrow [of an] appeal.\u201d In addition to With Love, Meghan, Netflix also aired Polo, Harry\u2019s 2024 docuseries about his friend Nacho Figueras<\/strong>, and 2023\u2019s Heart of Invictus, a docuseries centered around the Invictus Games<\/a>, his global sporting event for wounded service members. Their next TV series is set to be about polo, and they just recently sold Cookie Queens \u2014 a documentary about Girl Scouts \u2014 which they executive-produced.<\/p>\n

\"MeghanLeigh Vogel\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Meghan has received multiple offers to write her memoir, but \u201cit\u2019s not something she wants to pursue,\u201d the first source says, noting that there\u2019s a demand for content about their private life and the royals, \u201cbut those are the types of projects they don\u2019t want to do.\u201d Harry and Meghan\u2019s luxe lifestyle \u2014 they own a $14 million Montecito mansion<\/a> with a spa and 16 bathrooms \u2014 isn\u2019t exactly cheap. A memoir is \u201cthe one area where Meghan has a lot of financial clout. It would be hugely lucrative for her,\u201d adds the source, noting it may be worth even more than Harry\u2019s.<\/p>\n

Harry\u2019s ties to the royal family continue to be a consideration. \u201cMeghan and Harry are cautious about everything they do and say in order to uphold the standards of the monarchy,\u201d says the source. (In November, the couple asked Kris Jenner<\/strong> and her daughter Kim Kardashian<\/strong> to remove photos<\/a> of them from social media after attending Kris\u2019 70th birthday party<\/a>, which coincided with Remembrance Day in the U.K.) \u201cThey do the best they can not to upset the royals,\u201d says the source. \u201cEveryone who goes into business with them knows there are confines, but it hurts the creativity of the project. They are adamant about having creative control and final edit\u2026 and what they can\u2019t say limits things.\u201d Adds Johnson: \u201cTheir repeated public criticisms of the royal family have undercut an association that once gave them value. They need to lean away from it.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n Related: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Post-Royal Life: Facts vs. Fiction<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\tDespite leaving the royal spotlight behind, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle haven\u2019t been able to avoid controversy. \u201cSo much of Harry and Meghan\u2019s time together has felt like overcoming strife from all sides,\u201d a source exclusively reveals in the latest issue of Us Weekly, on newsstands now. \u201cThey just do it together. They rely on [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n

Christopher Andersen<\/strong>, author of Brothers and Wives, tells Us Harry would have preferred to remain a part-time working royal. \u201cUnfortunately, Queen Elizabeth II<\/strong> strongly believed that you\u2019re either all in or all out,\u201d he explains. Johnson believes that Meghan\u2019s role in Harry\u2019s break from royal life may be weighing down her personal brand<\/a>. \u201cFair or not, those perceptions are sticky,\u201d he says. \u201cAnd in lifestyle and media branding, perception is everything.\u201d<\/p>\n

The first source points out that Harry and Meghan\u2019s perceived work failures feel more glaring because they\u2019re such high-profile figures. \u201cProducers don\u2019t have success with every single project. [Harry and Meghan\u2019s misfires] are just magnified.\u201d The third source says that brands still want to work with the couple. \u201cThey get many inquiries but have been very selective.\u201d However, that hasn\u2019t stopped them from feeling \u201ca bit unfairly portrayed,\u201d adds the third source. \u201cThey are also genuinely concerned about how it impacts their brand and future deals.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"InvictusJeff Vinnick\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

According to the first source, Meghan has \u201cno intention\u201d of distancing herself from As Ever. \u201cShe\u2019s expanding it and will be doing more collaborations with existing brands.\u201d In November, As Ever did a pop-up event at Soho House in West Hollywood, and announced on March 17 that it was partnering with luxury flower company High Camp Supply on a collection of artfully arranged blooms. The second source says the brand will be introducing even more \u201cdrops\u201d in 2026. \u201cThese [types of collabs] have been very well received. The Fell Asleep Here bookmark sold out in just 10 minutes and her Valentine\u2019s Day collaboration with [chocolatier] Compartes sold out in under an hour.\u201d<\/p>\n

The third source says Meghan is \u201csuper focused on her family<\/a>, her foundation work, and bigger-picture projects that feel purposeful, not just Hollywood roles.\u201d When she launched As Ever in March 2025, Meghan also unveiled a ShopMy Instagram page<\/a>, which allowed her to earn commissions through affiliate links featuring her outfits. But by September, she\u2019d shut it down. \u201cShe had thought she wanted to do the blog\/influencer route but realized that wasn\u2019t for her,\u201d the third source says of Meghan, who previously ran her lifestyle blog The Tig from 2014 to 2017. \u201cIt felt too transactional, too much about promoting products instead of creating meaningful content or impact. She wants her work to reflect who she is and what she cares about, not just selling stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n

Borkowski believes Meghan can still build something real. \u201cBut that doesn\u2019t mean grand; it means controlled,\u201d he cautions. Harry, however, \u201csits on something far more combustible \u2014 [the] truth,\u201d he notes. \u201cNot the Netflix version, but the raw, slightly uncomfortable, occasionally inconvenient truth. When he\u2019s near that, it works. When he drifts into \u2018content,\u2019 he becomes just another voice in a very crowded room of people earnestly explaining things to us.\u201d Pomposello believes Harry\u2019s best course of action is to hone in on \u201cdocumentaries with a purpose, stories about veterans, mental health and causes where he has real credibility.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The more straightforward their next moves are, the better. \u201cWhat would actually cut through now is almost offensively simple,\u201d says Borkowski. \u201cFewer pronouncements, more specificity and projects that exist because they\u2019re good \u2014 not because they\u2019re meaningful.\u201d Adds Johnson: \u201cHarry and Meghan need a full rebrand. They can\u2019t continue trying to be everything to everyone. They have to shift from a narrative rooted in past grievances to one focused on their future \u2014 it\u2019s about what they can contribute, not what they left behind.\u201d<\/p>\n

For more on Harry and Meghan, watch the exclusive video above and pick up the latest issue of Us Weekly <\/a>\u2014 on newsstands now.<\/p>\n

With reporting by Andrea Simpson, Erin Strecker\u00a0and Amanda Williams\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"After struggling to find their footing in Hollywood, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle seemed to finally hit their…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":880149,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[7708],"tags":[4082,102458,2915,5105,7710,519,448,14066],"class_list":["post-880148","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-royals","tag-celebrity-news","tag-cover-story","tag-exclusive","tag-royal","tag-royal-families","tag-royal-family","tag-royals","tag-the-royals"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/116369134305571729","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/880148","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=880148"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/880148\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/880149"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=880148"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=880148"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=880148"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}