What the future holds for Harry and Meghan as controversial Megxit review looms
As the first anniversary of Megxit looms, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle continue to carve out a lucrative life free of the shackles of the Royal Family.
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When Prince Harry pulled the Megxit cord, it was to allow him to carve out a “progressive new role” within his family.
But a year on, the jury is out.
Royal experts say all that has happened is he has handsomely lined his pockets for doing the same work.
Others say he and wife Meghan Markle have carved out an opportunity-packed new life, as successful global personalities who make “the Royal Family they left behind seem … provincial”.
As the March 31 review of the bombshell deal approaches, Prince Harry and Meghan have put in the pot plants in California, and will never come back to live in Britain.
Although it was reported this week that the Duke of Sussex wants to fly to London to break bread with his grandmother and push for a better, long term Megxit deal.
Prince Harry, 36, and Meghan, 39, stunned the world on January 8, 2020, with their statement that they wanted to be half-in, half-out royals — something which was rejected.
They promised to uphold the Queen’s values in a hastily drawn up deal following the Sandringham summit, where the Monarch, Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince Harry discussed the divorce agreement.
Penny Junor, a royal biographer who wrote a book on Prince Harry, said that the former royal couple had simply been doing the same work as before they left the royal family, but were now getting paid.
“They wanted privacy, financial independence and they wanted to get away from the criticism which they found very hurtful,” she said.
“But they have put themselves right back in the spotlight, they’ve put themselves out there and they have attracted more attention because of these (commercial) deals
“The only thing they have succeeded in doing is becoming financially independent.”
The couple traded Frogmore Cottage, effectively a posh bungalow in their grandmother’s backyard in the grounds of Windsor Castle, for a nine-bedroom, 16-bathroom Californian mansion this year.
And they inked a $130 million deal with Netflix to produce documentaries, and a $54 million deal with Spotify for a series of podcasts.
That helped pay for the $20 million pad, and covered their $4.5 million bill on the Frogmore renovations.
They were not welcomed in Britain.
Broadcaster Piers Morgan labelled their commercial deals as “driven by large dollops of narcissism, hypocrisy and greed.”
The first podcast, which was dropped on December 28, included chats with Elton John, British TV star and now US talk show host James Corden and tennis player Naomi Osaka.
Their baby Archie, now 19 months, also made a cameo where he revealed the hint of an American accent as he wished people Happy New Year.
They also thanked health workers and chatted with celebrities about what had helped them cope during the coronavirus pandemic.
It all seemed very regal, even if they introduced themselves simply as Harry and Meghan.
Prince William and Kate had done a similar thing as they caught the train around the UK to personally thank British health workers, without the media companies’ millions.
Their kids also appeared in a video with naturalist Sir David Attenborough in October.
But despite the departure to the sunnier Californian climes, the enforced distance caused by coronavirus has led to more calls between Prince Harry and Buckingham Palace.
It remains to be seen whether the relationship with his brother Prince William can be repaired.
The Queen was also expected to take a closer look at comments Meghan and Harry made about politics before the US election.
Their video, released in September, prompted then President Donald Trump to say of Meghan: “I’m not a fan of hers. I wish a lot of luck to Harry because he’s going to need it.”
Prince Harry was expected to visit London, potentially with Meghan and Archie, as the frost between Prince Harry, Prince William and the Firm, thaws.
He may even make a surprise visit to the UK for the Queen’s 95th birthday in April, but talks on his deal may be delayed, much in the same way that Brexit talks dragged on for years, according to sources who spoke to The Sun newspaper.
Prince Harry was a likely certain starter for his grandfather Prince Philip’s 100th birthday celebrations in June and the unveiling of a statue in honour of his mother Princess Diana on July 1, for what would have been her 60th birthday.
The couple, who also revealed that Meghan had a miscarriage in July, have been trying to keep their lives going in lockdowns.
They remain at war with the Press, with Meghan’s privacy case against the Daily Mail’s Sunday paper due in the courts next year following an agreed nine-month delay.
Meghan and her father could be called to give evidence.
There was a rush of paparazzi pictures of the couple following their move to the United States via Canada.
Paparazzi pictures were never published in the British Press following an accord with editors after the death of Princess Diana in 1997.
Prince Harry and Meghan had a win against photographers, with Splash News and Picture Agency, which was in administration, over images of them walking in a park in Canada.
That company had agreed not to take any more unauthorised photographs, however, other companies in the group had vowed to continue to do so.
Sean Smith, author of Meghan Misunderstood which looks at her earlier life, said the couple had done exactly what they wanted to do when they walked away from the “provincial” royal family.
“They will never return to the UK permanently. Why on earth would they want to? They have moved on and it’s time the so-called royal experts got over it,” he said.
“They were invited to ‘bugger off’ by the tabloid press and they did.
“All year the reaction has been one of spluttering indignation that they are making a better life for themselves and their son. They have become global personalities and made the Royal Family they left behind seem charisma-free and rather provincial.”
Mr Smith said Prince Andrew, who quit royal duties over his links with deceased billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, should be subject to further scrutiny, not Prince Harry and Meghan.
“If I were the Royal Family, I would be trying my best to tempt them back for a few guest appearances each year,” he said.
stephen.drill@news.co.uk
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