Meghan Markle & Prince Harry’s ‘Professional Separation’ Has …

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Earlier this year, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry began taking a different approach to public life.

While they had once been inseparable in their travels and their professional and charitable endeavors, suddenly, the Sussexes were making frequent solo appearances.

At first, there were rumors of trouble in Meghan and Harry’s marriage.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex lay ferns and a wreath at the tomb of the Unknown Warrior at the newly unveiled UK war memorial and Pukeahu National War Memorial Park, on October 28, 2018, in Wellington, New Zealand.

But in time, we learned that there was a different reason for the newfound distance between them.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s New Strategy

Insiders revealed that for the sake of their careers, the couple had decided to embark on a “professional separation.”

Recent polls indicated that Harry and Meghan were less popular than ever, and the Sussexes’ advisors reportedly suggested that they attempt to rebrand as two individuals, rather than halves of a couple.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex speak on stage at the "Friends @ Home Event" at the Station Airport during day three of the Invictus Games DÃ¼sseldorf 2023 on September 12, 2023 in Duesseldorf, Germany.

And so, for the first time, we saw the Duke and Duchess of Sussex traveling, glad-handing, and posing for pics on their own, instead of with each other.

It’s an interesting strategy — but has it been effective? Well, according to a new report from The Daily Beast, yes and no.

The outlet spoke with several journalists and branding experts, and the consensus was that the Sussexes are still struggling with their public image — and Meghan’s situation is worse than Harry’s.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex speak onstage at The Archewell Foundation Parentsâ Summit: Mental Wellness in the Digital Age during Project Healthy Minds' World Mental Health Day Festival 2023 at Hudson Yards on October 10, 2023 in New York City.

The Rewards Have Not Been Worth the Risks

“The current reset is: Harry focuses on charity and Meghan focuses on commercial projects. They are trying to show they are individual powerhouses,” said entertainment reporter Paula Froelich.

“It’s working for Harry but not so much for Meghan. It’s going to be interesting to see how she handles being constantly upstaged by her husband.”

Marketing expert Tony Case explained that the Sussexes are still struggling to overcome “the general apathy the public has for this pair,” adding:

“This clearly is not a country that is rooting for Harry and Meghan.”

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex attend the 2022 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope Gala at New York Hilton on December 06, 2022 in New York City.

Crisis prevention expert Drew Kerr cautioned that the arrangement might give the public the wrong idea:

“One or two appearances apart is nothing. Adults are allowed to be independent in 2024. But if it is consistent, over a period of time, let’s say three or four weeks, with no explanation, then people might be entitled to speculate that something else is going on. ‘Bennifer’ is the cautionary example here,” he said.

“I fear they may have drunk too much of their own Kool-Aid. 2+2=5 when it comes to creating celebrity couples from lesser individuals, and ‘Harry and Meghan’ is a classic example of that,” added PR consultant Warren Johnson.

“Sadly, the math the other way is less attractive; when the couple is divided by two you are left with an estranged royal and a jam-making actress.”

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex visit Nigeria Unconquered, a charity organisation that works in collaboration with the Invictus Games Foundation, at a reception at Officersâ Mess on May 11, 2024 in Abuja, Nigeria.

A Year of Setbacks

The “jam-making” remark is a reference to Meghan’s American Riviera Orchard lifestyle brand, which is currently mired in trademark issues and other legal setbacks, preventing its long-awaited launch.

It’s the latest of several recent projects that have failed to produce the expected results for the Sussexes in the past year.

Now, the couple is pinning their hopes on their new Netflix docuseries, Polo, which premieres next week.

Unfortunately, reactions to the trailer have been decidedly mixed — and with Harry and Meghan in desperate need of some wins, it might soon be time to rebrand once again.

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