Meghan Markle faces a crucial moment in her personal and professional development as she needs to find a distinctive role for herself apart from Prince Harry, an entertainment expert has told Newsweek.
When Harry and Meghan left the royal family in 2020 they embarked on joint careers in the entertainment and philanthropic sectors. With the couple since splitting from their podcasting partner, Spotify, and seeing any serious work with on-screen projects for Netflix halted while Hollywood is on strike, they face the prospect of seeking additional projects or areas of work to fill their time and earn an income.
For Harry, he recently demonstrated the success of his own solo venture in the 2023 Invictus Games held in Germany from September 9 to 16.
The games were co-founded by the prince in 2014. Though Meghan has attended as a guest over the years, the output is very much Harry's, with the royal retaining his position as founding patron.
Mark Boardman, entertainment expert and founder of MarkMeets, told Newsweek that an area where Meghan could importantly forge her own professional path is in the realm of professional "influencing."
"Transitioning into the role of an influencer is certainly a viable option for Meghan Markle," he said. "She already has a considerable online following, and recent appearances can only further bolster her chances of commanding a strong presence on social media, with a positive reaction to her supporting Harry with his work on the Invictus Games.
"However, with no TV or media work on the horizon, what could she talk about? Re-joining Instagram and relaunching her blog would allow her to engage with her audience more directly and potentially give her the chance to monetize her brand through partnerships and endorsements, which would require careful selection. Any influencer work that Meghan takes on must align with her personal brand and values to maintain authenticity and credibility."
On the question of timing, while the Hollywood strikes prevent any serious work with content at the couple's Archewell Productions company, Boardman noted that it was both a significant and beneficial time for Meghan to pursue her own interests.
"It has never been a more important time for Meghan to continue building her individual brand outside of her marriage with Prince Harry, to be her own person rather than an extra with no direction," he said.
"The longer Meghan has no role, the harder it will be to secure a major deal and attract opportunities.
"Given the Duchess of Sussex's background and interest in fashion, becoming a brand ambassador for a fashion or perfume house could be a lucrative option for her. This would require careful selection of partnerships to maintain her integrity and ensure that the brands she associates with reflect her values.
"Her recent visit to homeless women and girls at a café in Dusseldorf during her trip to Germany is showing the public a more grounded aspect of her that could open up new ambassadorial roles, as well as public speaking opportunities that would command large fees."
So far, Meghan has only one upcoming project that has been announced in conjunction with Harry, that of a screen adaptation of the hit romance novel Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune for Netflix.
There has however been mounting speculation that the duchess will soon make a return to social media, after closing her personal accounts when she married Harry in 2018.
During a 2022 interview with The Cut magazine, Meghan told journalist Allison P. Davis: "Do you want to know a secret?...I'm getting back...on Instagram."
So far, however, no official return to the platform has materialized.
A move into becoming a fashion ambassador was also floated in the press earlier this year, when Britain's Daily Mail reported that Meghan was on the verge of signing a deal with the Paris house of Christian Dior. This was later denied by Dior itself.
Whichever direction Meghan chooses to turn next in her career, she will bring with her a loyal fanbase, ready to follow where she leads. This was best demonstrated during the Invictus Games, where after wearing a J.Crew blazer, the item quickly sold out online.
Newsweek has approached representatives of Meghan Markle via email for comment.
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on Twitter at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We'd love to hear from you.
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James Crawford-Smith is a Newsweek Royal Reporter, based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on the British royal family ... Read more
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