Royal expert offers a grim take on the state of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s relationship.
When Harry and Meghan made the decision to leave Britain behind, they hoped for a life out of the spotlight—at least, that’s what they presented to the public. However, things didn’t turn out that way. In fact, the couple exposed themselves to the media—the very same media they tried to escape from—to an extent that contradicted their desire to protect their privacy.
They ventured into several businesses and made contracts with huge platforms such as Spotify and Netflix. As we know, some of those deals failed, but the Sussexes found ways to support their lifestyle.
Harry published his all-tell memoir Spare, which sold in a staggering 1.4 million copies on its first day in the UK, United States, and Canada.
“We always knew this book would fly, but it is exceeding even our most bullish expectations,” Larry Finlay, managing director of Transworld Penguin Random House, said.
“As far as we know, the only books to have sold more in their first day are those starring the other Harry (Potter).”
The first product, a lemon-filled gift basket containing fresh fruit jam, was sent to the Duchess’ closest 50 friends, many of whom celebrities.
As per her PR expert Mayah Riaz, Meghan could make as much as seven figures within the first month of launching the brand.
“So far, the jams have been sent to only 50 people. This suggests that it will be an exclusive and limited edition item,” Riaz shared with the Mirror.
“It has already been reported a single jam jar could cost three figures. I believe that is entirely likely from what we have seen so far. This is not rare for a celebrity brand.”
The PR expert added, “Therefore, my estimation is that American Riveria Orchard in under a year could make Meghan seven figures. It is entirely possible for the brand to make multi-seven figures by the end of next year,” the PR guru added.
As per Harpers Bazaar, the Duchess will extend her brand on selling kitchen items and home decor.
According to the initial trademark application made in February, her company will offer “jellies, jams, marmalades, fruit preserves, edible oils and fats, and preserves, vegetable-based spreads, legume-based spreads, nut-based spreads, garlic-based spreads, sesame-based spreads, dairy-based spreads, nut butters, fruit butters.”
It’s clear that both Harry and Meghan have pursued post-royal career, or at least they are trying to.
Royal expert Tina Brown – author of best-selling royal biographies The Diana Chronicles and The Palace Papers, had a say on this and stated, “In England, they’re going to constantly make a career out of trashing Harry. But actually, the thing about Harry is he’s very good at being Prince Harry.”
Appearing on The Ankler, Brown added: “That’s the tragedy of all of this, is that he is the most talented member of the Royal Family, without doubt, in terms of being a prince, which is all he does know how to do… he’s really sort of flawless at it.”
Further, Brown, who was friends with late Princess Diana, said Meghan has never really had any good ideas.
“I think [Prince Harry] is pretty much in the thrall of Meghan. The trouble with Meghan is that she has the worst judgment of anyone in the entire world. She’s flawless about getting it all wrong… She really is,” Brown said.
“She’s a perfectionist about getting it all wrong… Her issue is that she doesn’t listen… She has all these people, asks them their opinion, and then doesn’t follow it. She does what she wants to do. And all of her ideas are total crap, unfortunately.”
According to the royal expert, Harry is “blindly” following his wife. “(Harry is) the lamb to the slaughter in this situation,” Brown concluded. “He was terribly impressed by Meghan. He thought that she knew all, she persuaded him that she was the savvy Hollywood wheeler-dealer who could come in and make them stars and all the rest of it. And he just sort of blindly followed her like a child, really.”
When Harry released Spare, it further affected his relationship with his father and brother. Despite that, rumors were that he was going to publish another book. The same was said of Meghan.
When she appeared on The Cut in 2023, Meghan mentioned that she kept a diary. Alongside this, she said she was never asked to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement when she and Harry left the monarchy.
Many saw Meghan’s words as a “threat.”
Expert Roya Nikkhah discussed Meghan’s interview, saying, “The thinly veiled threats that came in [Meghan’s interview with The Cut] …I think [she] probably hopes it does [feel threatening] to the Royal Family… [But] I think there’s a lot of eye-rolling, going, ‘We’re used to this by now’… [But] that phrase, ‘I have a lot to say until I don’t’ and, ‘I’ve never signed anything that restricts me from talking’… there was a very strong inference there.”
Further, Nikkhah added: “And, of course, the reminder that she keeps a journal, and [her] revelation that, ‘when we came back to Windsor, to Frogmore Cottage for the Jubilee, I rediscovered my journal that I’d left there’ – I was astonished to discover that she had left a highly private diary behind in Windsor, rather than taking it back.
“She’s mentioned a couple of times in the last year or two that she kept a journal, and I think there is a very strong inference that Meghan could write her own memoir,” Nikkhah concluded.
Royal expert Jennie Bond believes the same. According to her, Meghan moved on when she stepped down from her royal duties, but the journal she spoke of “will remain a potential weapon in her back pocket” if she ever seeks revenge.
“Obviously the journal she mentioned will remain a potential weapon in her back pocket if she ever feels the need to seek some sort of revenge. But she has behaved with discretion and dignity ever since Oprah and the documentary series.”
Bond continued: “I think she is looking forwards, not backwards and is moving on with her life. So I don’t think we should be raising false alarms about any potential memoir.”