Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are reportedly going to great lengths to salvage their “toxic” reputations.
And one expert says the situation has forced the couple to distance themselves from one another.
You might have noticed that Harry and Meghan have both been making more solo appearances in recent weeks.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex make an official visit to the Joff Youth Centre in Peacehaven, Sussex on October 3, 2018 in Peacehaven, United Kingdom. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
A Professional Split
In fact, they have not made a joint appearance in more than a month.
They have, however, appeared separately. Harry even took a trip to South Africa without Meghan by his side.
The situation has led to rumors of trouble within Harry and Meghan’s marriage (more on that later). But one PR professional says it’s most likely a calculated branding move.
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 Düsseldorf 2023 on September 12, 2023 in Duesseldorf, Germany. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images for the Invictus Games Foundation)
“Since their marriage, Harry and Meghan have had a distinct brand,” public relations expert Ed Coram James recently told GB News.
“That brand is based on a duo. Call it ‘Harry and Meghan’, call it ‘the Sussexes’, call it whatever you like. The fact is that for years they have become synonymous with one another.”
According to James, that brand has become increasingly toxic in the years since Harry and Meghan’s Oprah interview, which he equates to an act of war.
Harry and Meghan’s ‘Toxic’ Brand
Britain’s Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and his wife Meghan Markle are pictured during a visit to the National Centre for the Arts in Bogota on August 15, 2024. (Photo by RAUL ARBOLEDA/AFP via Getty Images)
“Since the famous Oprah interview, in which they took a simmering disagreement between themselves and the rest of the Royal Family and essentially declared all-out-war, that brand has been steadily becoming more toxic and thus commercially untenable to the point where not that many major brands are going to be rushing to write them a large cheque based on their brand value,” he explained.
“When combined, the Sussexes’ brand is, from a PR perspective, toxic. But, when separate, they have a genuine chance of creating an entirely separate brand, with completely different labels.”
But there are drawbacks to that approach. For one thing, the Sussexes’ professional split has led to rumors of marital trouble.
Some have even gone so far as to claim that Harry and Meghan are separated.
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex speak onstage at EAN University during a visit around Colombia on August 15, 2024 in Bogota, Colombia. (Photo by Diego Cuevas/Getty Images)
One insider says that the constant rumors have created a “strain” in the couple’s household.
“She has really felt the strain in recent weeks, and with all the speculation surrounding her and Harry and their marriage,” the source said.
“They haven’t done themselves any favors by doing so many separate events but this is what they have decided to do as it works best for them at the moment as a couple and they both feel they can shine at events that are close to their hearts.”
If Harry and Meghan are able to salvage their public image, then they’ll probably have no regrets about this gamble.
But there’s a chance that they’ll wind up further complicating their precarious situation.
Meghan Markle & Prince Harry Make Last-Ditch Effort to Save ‘Toxic’ … was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.