Eight years after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle tied the knot in a fairy-tale Windsor wedding, they are still doing things their way.
Since their bombshell royal exit in 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have rewritten the rulebook with Hollywood deals, tell-all interviews and headline-grabbing moves, reportedly drawing growing concern from palace aides and senior royals.
“There is a huge difference between what the monarchy has to offer and what Harry and Meghan are currently doing,” royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told Fox News Digital.
“This was underlined by King Charles’ highly successful state visit to the United States and Princess Catherine’s two-day visit to Italy, her first official trip in over three years,” Fitzwilliams said.
“However, in attempting to have something similar to the ‘half-in, half-out’ position within the royal family, which Queen Elizabeth rejected, the Sussexes have shown that their brand still gets huge amounts of publicity.”
“What Queen Elizabeth II viewed as totally and utterly unacceptable has been adopted by the Sussexes as their modus operandi, blurring the line between being private citizens and wannabe celebrities while leveraging their royal connections,” British royals expert Hilary Fordwich claimed to Fox News Digital. “Each trip they make is styled to be rather like a faux royal tour as they seem to monetize almost every moment.”
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The battle lines were drawn in January 2020 at the late queen’s now-infamous “Sandringham Summit,” where the Sussexes were handed a royal reality check.
The reigning monarch made it clear there would be no “half-in, half-out” arrangement — meaning the couple could not cash in on private ventures while still carrying out duties as senior working royals.
The late queen later doubled down publicly, declaring it was “not possible” for the couple to continue “a life of public service” outside the confines of the monarchy. But Harry, 41, and Meghan, 44, publicly said: “We can all live a life of service. Service is universal.”
In March 2020, the couple stepped back as senior royals, citing the unbearable intrusions of the British press and a lack of support from the palace. Since settling in the wealthy coastal city of Montecito, the pair have aired their grievances in interviews and documentaries. Harry’s 2023 memoir, “Spare,” which detailed deeply personal revelations about the House of Windsor, further strained his relationship with his family.
In the years since, the couple have made high-profile visits to Nigeria, Colombia and Australia to highlight their charitable causes. The quasi-diplomatic trips included heavily photographed appearances and meetings with officials.
While supporters saw the trips as an extension of their humanitarian work, critics — especially in royal circles — have blasted the “faux royal tours” as an attempt to replicate official royal engagements without the backing of the crown.
During an unannounced visit to Ukraine in April, Harry was asked about the label “not a working royal.” In response, he said, “No, I will always be part of the royal family … I am here working and doing the things I was born to do.”
“It was nonetheless impertinent of them to go on a visit to Australia in April, which was, in all but name, a royal tour as it is one of the king’s realms,” Fitzwilliams said. “Their mix of charitable events, including military-related appearances, also included commercial ventures, from Meghan’s wellness weekend to Harry’s speech on mental health.”
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British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard told Fox News Digital she believes the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are “absolutely blurring the lines between private business and monarchy business.”
“Successful working members of the royal family work as a team, supporting the king in his many state and national duties,” she explained.
“They do not compete. Both Harry and Meghan realize that, despite leaving royal life years ago, their global relevance is determined by their royal status. They have appeared internationally in what many claim to be self-serving lookalike royal tours involving charity work in a bid to monetize their royal status. However, they are no longer working royals.”
Chard added, “The optics no doubt confuse people, blurring the distinction between the Sussexes and the official monarchy, especially as Harry considers himself a working royal.”
Chard went on to say that six years after their royal exit, Harry and Meghan may be “running out of options” as independent royals.
“They announce new projects and supposed success with enormous fanfare,” Chard said. “Yet everything fizzles out. Jumping from one idea to another, from one flavor of the month to the next, there seems to be no clarity, consistency or essential golden thread to Harry and Meghan’s work, although Meghan, known as the 24-carat master rebrander, is continuously rebranding herself.”
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But not everyone agrees. Royal expert Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital that Harry and Meghan have never hidden their intentions to leverage their global fame to amplify the causes they care about. In his view, the couple have been unapologetically executing that strategy from day one.
“I personally have always supported Harry and Meghan and called out the double standards,” he said. “Harry and Meghan wish to exercise their right to create a harmonious image of the royal family in America. I personally would prefer to see a much wider use of Harry and Meghan’s talents because when they do, they enhance the perceived values of the royal family.”
But as Harry and Meghan continue to do things their own way, the chances of peace talks with the other royals are becoming bleaker.
“They are pushing the envelope and making it much more difficult for reconciliation to happen,” Sally Bedell Smith, author of the “Royals Extra” Substack, previously told People magazine.
“King Charles has given many signals he would like to reconcile with Harry,” Fordwich said. “However, Prince William is intensely protective of his family’s institution and long-term credibility.”
“But both are no doubt beyond frustrated regarding the Sussexes’ thwarting of the agreement made with Queen Elizabeth at the ‘Sandringham Summit’ not to be, as she so aptly put it, ‘half-in and half-out.’”
“It doesn’t bode well at all for any future relationship with the family,” Fordwich said, adding that trust remains low despite efforts for a purported “Operation Thaw” to ease tensions.
Fox News Digital reached out to Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace for comment. A source close to Harry told People, “This idea that he’s going against the wishes of the queen by being half-in, half-out is nonsense. None of this is being done in the name of the institution.”
To some, Meghan appears to have her eyes set on being an influencer. People magazine reported that her fashion choices in Australia were linked to an AI-powered shopping platform, OneOff, which allows followers to purchase the looks — primarily by Australian designers — that she wore during the trip. The outlet noted that through the partnership, she earns a commission. Her page drew more than 1 million views within the first three days, and several items sold out.
She also appeared at a women’s retreat, where a $3,199 VIP package included a group photo with her. Guests received products from her As Ever line.
As Harry and Meghan look ahead, they appear focused on expanding their post-royal empire. Meghan has continued expanding her lifestyle brand, while Harry focuses on the Invictus Games and raising awareness about mental health.
They also appear to be betting big on Hollywood. Fox News Digital confirmed they are developing a feature film for Netflix, an adaptation of “No Way Out,” a book about British soldiers trapped during a brutal siege in Afghanistan.
The project is said to be deeply personal for Harry, who served two tours in Afghanistan during his time in the British Army. Oscar-nominated screenwriter Matt Charman has reportedly been tapped to write the script.
“Harry and Meghan’s wedding anniversary should represent strength, resilience and unity,” Chard said. “You could say they are resilient, as they will keep going.”
