Prince Harry and Meghan Markle considering Oscars presenting job

They’ve been fairly low-key in recent months, but Harry and Meghan are in talks to make a very high-profile appearance next week.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been asked to present an award at next weekend’s Oscars.

The couple were approached at the end of last year and offered the pick of gongs.

It is understood they were being lined up to reveal Best Picture, the most coveted category of the night, reports The Sun.

But if the Duke of Sussex does attend, he is sure to face outcry from royal fans, coming after he pulled out of Prince Philip’s memorial service in London.

Organisers had initially considered the pair, champions of women’s rights, to present the Best Actress gong, but this was ruled out because actress Kristen Stewart is nominated for her role in Spencer, a movie about Princess Diana’s life.

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Kristen Stewart plays Diana in Spencer and has been nominated for Best Actress.

Harry and Meghan were initially thought to be presenters for the Best Actress category. Picture: Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images

“Harry and Meghan were first approached two years ago for the ceremony but politely declined,” a source told the publication.

“Obviously they’d be a huge coup this year, and could use their appearance to make an impassioned speech of their choosing, most likely [about] Ukraine.

“Show producers Will Packer and Shayla Cowan have lined up some amazing A-list names to take to the stage and Harry and Meghan would be the icing on the cake.

“It’s still up in the air, but in all likelihood – especially in the wake of recent publicity – Harry won’t attend.

“It would be seen as a final kick in the teeth for the royal family if he did – he’s too nervous to fly to London without police protection, but happy to stand up in front of a huge live audience at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. Not great optics.”

Prince Harry has been criticised for pulling out of appearing at Prince Philip’s memorial this month. Picture: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

The 94th annual Academy Awards takes place next Sunday, hosted by Amy Schumer, Regina Hall and Wanda Sykes.

Meanwhile Meghan’s first Spotify podcast series will be launched this summer after she and Harry raised concerns about Covid misinformation on the platform.

The couple signed a $34 million deal with Spotify but have so far only recorded one show.

Footage was also released of Harry making a video call with Ukrainian staff from landmine clearance organisation the Halo Trust.

The Sussexes’ Archewell foundation has made donations to a number of groups working on the ground to provide aid to Ukrainians, including Halo.

Harry’s late mother Princess Diana famously walked through a minefield Halo was clearing in Angola in 1997.

This article originally appeared in The Sun and was reproduced with permission

Originally published as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle considering Oscars presenting job