Is this the end of Harry and Meghan’s American dream?
Prince Harry and Meghan are preparing to return to the UK, with their once-blockbuster American media deals now scaled back or lapsed, raising questions about whether their post-royal reinvention in the United States has run its course. Since leaving royal life in 2020, the couple built their new identity in California around lucrative content deals, but six years on, industry analysts say the shifting media landscape has made fame alone insufficient for sustained commercial success, even for figures as recognisable as the Sussexes.
The couple signed a Netflix deal reportedly worth $100m and a $20m podcast agreement with Spotify at a time when streaming platforms were competing fiercely for big-name talent, but both arrangements have since been reduced or expired. Media analyst Evan Shapiro said the couple had been caught in a fundamental industry shift, from a "top down" era of guaranteed audiences to one in which they compete for attention against billions of content creators worldwide. Harry has repeatedly expressed a longing to return to Britain, particularly amid his father King Charles's ill health, while the article notes their royal connections remain their most reliably marketable asset compared with other lifestyle and philanthropic ventures.
- Harry and Meghan's major US media deals have been scaled back or expired
- Couple now preparing to return to the UK from California
- Analysts say fame alone no longer guarantees media success
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Prince Harry and Meghan stepped back from royal duties in 2020 and moved to California, where they set about building a new life and income outside the monarchy. Central to this was a string of high-profile media deals, most notably a reported $100m arrangement with Netflix and a $20m podcast deal with Spotify, signed when streaming platforms were paying big money to attract famous names.
Six years on, those deals have been reduced in scope or have simply come to an end, prompting questions about how sustainable the couple's American media career really is. Analysts point to broader changes in the entertainment industry, where audiences are far more fragmented and platforms no longer need to pay a premium for celebrity names to guarantee viewers.
This backdrop matters because it sets up wider speculation about the couple's next steps, including talk of a possible return to the UK. Harry has spoken previously about missing Britain, and his father King Charles's health has been an added factor in discussions about the family's future.