Prince Harry, Meghan Markle’s Hollywood influence wanes 5 years after royal exit

Royal experts say Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s star power in Hollywood is rapidly fading five years after their dramatic break from the monarchy.

A source recently told People magazine that the couple is still learning to navigate public scrutiny. While Meghan reportedly brushes off the criticism as “just noise,” Harry is said to take the attacks more personally and remains intensely protective of his wife.

“Their star power is fading,” Kinsey Schofield, host of YouTube’s “Kinsey Schofield Unfiltered,” told Fox News Digital.

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“That will frustrate them because they’ve experienced the dopamine hit of adoration. Their confidence in leaving the royal family was rooted in their perceived popularity. They’ll keep putting themselves out there because they need to make money, but Meghan’s commercial ambitions conflict with Harry’s desire to rebuild royal bridges.”

“As long as she uses her title for business, the royal family will keep their distance,” Schofield warned. “And as long as the family keeps that distance, Harry’s popularity will continue to suffer.”

Schofield said she believes Meghan is “being disingenuous” in claiming that criticism doesn’t faze her.

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“She often subtly addresses specific criticisms in interviews,” Schofield said. “She absolutely sees it. Meghan is the one more eager to respond to every rumor or negative story. She made that clear during the Oprah interview.”

“Harry is the opposite,” Schofield continued. “He was raised with the mantra, ‘never complain, never explain.’ The real difference is that Meghan doesn’t actively seek out negative feedback, while Harry can’t help himself. He reads it, looks for it and it hurts him. One reason they campaign against social media is because of what they read about themselves there.”

The once-praised power couple has weathered several controversies this year. 

A representative for the couple reportedly requested that photos of them taken at Kris Jenner’s 70th birthday party be removed from social media. A source told Page Six that Harry and Meghan didn’t want to upset the monarchy by publicly flaunting their Hollywood friendships while attending several events in Los Angeles that day.

Representatives for both the Kardashians and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment at the time.

People magazine reported that days later, Meghan called a claim that she took a $1,700 designer dress from a 2022 photo shoot “categorically false” and “highly defamatory.” The outlet noted that her Harper’s Bazaar cover story also drew criticism after the writer said she was introduced as “Meghan, Duchess of Sussex,” despite the two being alone in the house.

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Still, a source told People magazine that the couple doesn’t allow criticism to create a wedge in their marriage.

“It never creates friction between them,” said the insider. “They’re fully aligned and always operate as a team. It never puts them at odds.”

The backlash hasn’t ended. Meghan’s holiday special on Netflix, which premiered Dec. 3, was met with poor reviews, with critics calling it “cringe” and “tone-deaf.”

That same day, Harry made a surprise appearance on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” where he took a jab at President Donald Trump, months after his father, King Charles III, hosted him for a state visit to the U.K. It was the first time a U.S. president had ever been granted a second full state visit by a British monarch.

Earlier this year, Harry and several other trustees resigned from Sentebale, the African charity he co-founded, following a public fallout with the charity’s chair, Sophie Chandauka.

A cover story published by Vanity Fair renewed attention to long-standing complaints about Meghan’s alleged behavior. Others quoted in the story also spoke of the Duchess of Sussex more positively, with one producer describing her as a “lovely, genuine person.”

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“They seem to ignore real scandals,” said Schofield. “They follow ‘never complain, never explain’ only when it suits them.”

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back as senior royals in 2020, citing unbearable intrusions from the British press and a lack of palace support. After moving to California, they aired their grievances in interviews and documentaries. Harry’s memoir, “Spare,” which chronicled his struggles with royal life, was published in 2023.

In June, a source told People magazine that Meghan has been focused on looking ahead, while Harry remains “emotionally tethered to his royal past.” 

An insider told the outlet that King Charles “isn’t surrounded by voices encouraging reconciliation,” while Prince William shows “no interest in extending an olive branch.” Queen Camilla, who was sharply criticized in Harry’s tell-all, “stays out of it.”

These days, Meghan has focused on leading her business ventures. She launched her lifestyle brand, As Ever, in February, followed by her streaming series, “With Love, Meghan,” in March. An insider told People that Meghan “wishes her husband could feel less burdened by the past and more present in the life they’ve built together.”

While Meghan expands her brand in California, royal experts say the spotlight on the Sussexes is dimming.

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“Either they really are oblivious to their fading star power or are just doing their utmost to manage their waning popularity, decline of interest in them, and are trying to portray festive coziness, reportedly filmed a year ago,” British royals expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital.

“Their reactions are very different,” Fordwich said. “Meghan is usually dismissive of criticism, while Harry takes it deeply to heart. Meghan grew up Hollywood-hardened, while Harry is more easily wounded. It’s mutually beneficial for them to keep up appearances — to look united and content — because they both need their commercial ventures to succeed.”

Harry met with his father in September, sparking hope among royal watchers for a reconciliation between father and son. Sources previously told People magazine that the king, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2024, hadn’t been responding to Harry’s calls or letters.

“What’s next for them in 2026? I think Meghan will keep aligning herself with the Kardashians and other power players,” Schofield said. “I expect her to launch something in the beauty arena. Harry and Meghan will continue relying heavily on each other because they’ve alienated so many people.”

Schofield also believes Meghan is the “primary decision-maker.”

“She is fiercely independent,” Schofield noted. “… [And] she has become the center of Harry’s world. ‘What Meghan wants, Meghan gets.’”

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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex reside in the wealthy, coastal city of Montecito with their two young children.

Fox News Digital’s Tracy Wright contributed to this report.