Prince Harry and Meghan Markle should continue their “professional separation” despite the Duke of Sussex’s unsuccessful Netflix solo projects, PR experts have exclusively told GB News.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex initially signed a joint deal with Netflix after stepping down as working royals in 2020.
In their debut series “Harry & Meghan”, which broke several Netflix viewing records and was considered a huge success, the couple featured prominently together, but have since shifted their approach to pursue separate professional paths with individual content creation.
The Duke of Sussex’s “Heart of Invictus” released in August 2023 and his follow-up project “Polo” was released in December 2024 featured Meghan minimally and both underperformed compared to their debut series.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle should continue their “professional separation” despite the Duke of Sussex’s unsuccessful Netflix solo projects, PR experts have exclusively told GB News
Getty
Despite being listed as an executive director in ‘Polo’, ‘With Love, Meghan’ released on March 4, marks the Duchess of Sussexes first solo project for Netflix since signing with the streaming giant in 2020.
Meghan’s eight-part Netflix series is the latest instalment as part of the significant separation of the couple’s professional lives as the Sussexes move away from joint projects.
It has further reinforced the need for the Sussexes to be carving out distinct individual identities in their post-royal careers to yield better results, according to the PR experts.
Harry has focused on charitable projects, while for Meghan, cooking represents a return to her lifestyle blogging roots from before her royal marriage.
Prince Harry’s Heart of Invictus documentary which was released in August 2023
PA
Edward Coram James, CEO of Go Up, told GB News that the Sussex joint brand is “tainted”.
He said: “They are correct to be rebranding as separate entities. Once their individual popularities have increased again, then they can go about reinvigorating their joint brand.
“But, right now, they need to be doing everything they can to professionally distance themselves from the past three years. When you think ‘Meghan and Harry’, most will think of the rollercoaster since that terribly ill-advised Oprah interview.
“So, for now, they must rebrand themselves professionally as ‘Meghan’ and ‘Harry’. When the time is right, they can become ‘Meghan and Harry’ again.”
LATEST ROYAL NEWS:
Harry and Meghan were credited as executive producers in their Netflix project, Polo
Netflix
PR and Social media expert Caitlin Jardine at Ellis Digital exclusively told GB News that whilst Harry and Meghan’s personal brands compliment each other, they also have separate ventures that appeal to their own individual audiences.
She said: “They come from two very different backgrounds, they carry their own individual narratives separate from their marriage.
“They both have their own distinct voice that speaks directly their own audiences and Meghan must ensure that she continues to project this, all whilst keeping it aligned to their shared values.”
Although it was announced that ‘With Love, Meghan’ will have a second season, Netflix is expected to make a decision soon regarding whether it will extend or renew its contract with the Sussexes in later this year.