Last year, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced their “professional separation,” a rebrand in which they attempted to pursue their own interests independently of one another. While they put a stop to that strategy at the start of this year, Harry has been warned that it might be in his best interests to continue this separation for a little longer.
This new advice comes after the success of Meghan’s latest Netflix offering, With Love, Meghan. Although the show was derided by critics, it caught the attention of viewers, with a second season already filmed and set to release later this year. The series was entirely focused on Meghan while Harry only made the briefest of brief appearances in the eighth and final episode. Meanwhile, the prince released his own solo Netflix project, Polo, late last year – both shows were part of the couple’s $100 million Netflix deal.
Harry should continue working on his own projects
While the Netflix projects have mostly been flops, PR experts have claimed that the Sussexes would be better off if they kept up with their professional separation strategy, which they abandoned back in January. PR expert and CEO of Go Up, Edward Coram James, told GB News that the joint Sussex brand had been “tainted” after years of controversy and drama. He believed that it would be better for the couple to rebrand as separate, at least for a while.
“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.”
Despite the couple indicating that they would prefer to continue as a joint brand, James does have a point. He goes on to say that, “When you think ‘Meghan and Harry,’ most will think of the rollercoaster since that terribly ill-advised Oprah interview.” If they focus on building their individual brands outside of their relationship, they could see more success. Meghan’s already seen a glimmer of positive attention with her cooking show, although it might not be enough to save the couple’s Netflix deal.
Harry and Meghan come from ‘two very different backgrounds’
Another PR and social media expert gave a similar verdict. Caitlin Jardine advised the couple to grow separate brands that “have their own distinct voice [and] speaks directly [to] their own audiences,” all while “keeping it aligned to their shared values.”
It may not be what Harry wants to hear, especially considering the fact his own Netflix project flopped spectacularly last year, but these PR experts seem confident this is the best possible move for the couple. It would allow them to shake off the negative perception the public has of them as a couple, and if they both play their cards right, they could reunite later down the line stronger than ever.
Published: Mar 14, 2025 10:03 am