Harry and Meghan put on a united front in campaign video amid break-up rumours
Harry and Meghan have stepped out in a new video amid rumours that they are spending time apart.
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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have put on a united front as they battle claims their popularity is falling amid several big brands ending deals with the pair.
In a newly released video, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex sat side-by-side – appearing to go some way to scotching rumours they are taking time apart.
In the footage Harry, 38, and Meghan, 41, called recipients of the first Responsible Technology Youth Power Fund (RTYPF) grants to congratulate them.
In the clip, the royals also mentioned their children – Archie, 4, and Lilibet, 2.
Harry and Meghan’s Archewell Foundation is on the RTYPF’s advisory committee.
The RTYPF aims to be a “powerful force” in the “responsible technology movement”. It distributes funding to organisations that can help young people build “a more inclusive and equitable technology ecosystem”.
“Thank you for doing everything that you do. Our kids especially are incredibly grateful,” Prince Harry said on the filmed call to one of the funding recipients.
“They don’t know it yet, but they will!”, added Meghan.
The clip was filmed at the pair’s luxurious Montecito home, in California, which will be familiar from Oprah Winfrey’s shock tell-all with the Sussexes after they left the UK.
In June, the Sussexes Spotify deal ended, meaning there will likely not be a second season of the duchess’ Archetypes podcast. The couple’s Netflix deal is said to be under pressure. The duke also appears to have stepped back from the Travalyst eco-tourism company, although he is still listed as a “founder” on the firm’s website.
Their video appearance comes amid claims the pair are giving each other space; rumours have been swiftly denied by an insider.
A source close to the couple told the New York Post: “It’s not true, it’s literally made up.”
Omid Scobie, a royal commentator who is close to the Sussexes also rejected claims the marriage was on the rocks.
Indeed, it’s been announced that both Harry and Meghan will attend the Invictus Games in Germany next month.
The Invictus Games were founded by the duke and are a sporting tournament for wounded and injured service men and women.
In July, the UK’s Bella magazine reported Meghan was taking a “step away” from their joint brand to focus on solo projects.
The publication cited the unexpected blow of losing their Spotify deal as a factor in her decision to establish her own separate brand.
“Meghan feels she’ll have better success if she takes the time to work on projects alone without Harry – even though he always gives her his full support,” a source said.
The insider added that her recent decision to sign with Hollywood talent agency WME – which also represents Adele and Serena Williams – was about making her a “power player” in the industry in her own right.
The Sussexes Spotify $29 million contract was scrapped in June, reportedly because the streaming giant didn’t think it was getting bang for its buck.
Reportedly they did not meet “productivity requirements”.
Meghan’s Archetypes show, where she discussed “labels that try to hold women back”, was axed after only producing 13 episodes in 31 months.
Spotify and the couple’s company Archewell released a joint statement that claimed the deal was ended by “mutual agreement”.
But in June, Spotify’s head of global sports content Bill Simmons labelled them “f***ing grifters” and said the duke was useless with ideas.
“I gotta get drunk one night and tell the story of the Zoom I had with Harry to try and help him with a podcast idea.
“It’s one of my best stories,” he said on an episode of his own show, The Bill Simmons Podcast.
Originally published as Harry and Meghan put on a united front in campaign video amid break-up rumours
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