Prince Harry and Meghan Markle face ‘crucial turning point’ after huge blow
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are in a tough predicament, claims expert.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are “at a crossroads” as the couple are facing a “crucial turning point” which could have an impact on their declining popularity, a PR expert has claimed. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have seen their popularity plummet ever since they sensationally quit the Royal Family in 2020.
Harry and Meghan have been consistently ranking at the bottom of favourability lists, just above disgraced Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, with the latest YouGov polling showing that only 19% of Brits held a positive view of the Duchess, and only 30% were in favour of the Duke. It came after the couple completed their first quasi-royal tour this year in Jordan, seen by many as a quiet one, all while Meghan is still focusing on her lifestyle brand, As Ever.
But a PR expert said the couple need to pick a clear route they want to focus on, if they want to regain their popularity and prevent the public from losing interest.
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PR expert Mayah Riaz told the Mirror: “Harry and Meghan no longer have the institutional weight of the monarchy behind them.
“Without that framework, they are competing in a very crowded celebrity marketplace. In today's world, star power alone is not enough. You need a clear lane and a compelling reason for people to keep watching.”
She added: “Ultimately, they are at a crossroads. They can either lean fully into being global philanthropists with measurable impact, or fully embrace lifestyle entrepreneurship and own it unapologetically.
“Sitting between the two is what I think creates the confusion. And in the current media climate, confusion is the quickest route to indifference.”
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Ms Riaz explained that Harry and Meghan are still “globally recognised” and a “powerful asset”; however, relevance is not less about titles and more about “consistency, credibility and connection”.
She said: “Controversy within the royal family does not automatically translate into opportunity for those outside it. If anything, what we see is that the public often rallies around stability in turbulent moments.
“When Harry and Meghan stepped away, the narrative was service, impact and freedom from royal constraint.
“If the public now sees curated kitchens and lifestyle branding front and centre, it can feel like a pivot rather than an evolution.”
