Us Weekly put the Duke and Duchess of Sussex on this week’s cover. The piece is called “Meghan & Harry: What’s Next?” If it feels like that’s the kind of cover Us Weekly would do if there was Sussex-marriage drama, that’s the point. It’s a bait-and-switch – Us Weekly is talking about Meghan and Harry’s business, money and brand. They regurgitate that Variety hit-piece for some reason, and extensively quote self-styled “brand experts” who have no idea what they’re talking about. But there were a few pieces of news/gossip which we should discuss. Some highlights:
The Sussexes’ creative freedom: According to the source, the couple have wanted “more creative freedom… and now they can partner with various streamers and networks depending on who buys their projects.” A second source close to the Sussexes underscores that the first-look deal with the streamer is “still very active,” with various projects in development and With Love, Meghan, set to return as a seasonal special. The source adds that Netflix still has an office space on the lot for Archewell employees.
It’s “business as usual” for the Sussexes. “They look at hit pieces [like the Variety article] as something that comes with the territory. They’re used to it.” However, a third source who has worked with the Sussexes tells Us that Meghan is “disappointed” that [With Love Meghan] didn’t truly take off. “She poured so much heart and soul into it and really believed in it,” says the source, adding that Netflix had predicted “much higher” viewership numbers. The second source maintains that With Love, Meghan was “on par” with other lifestyle shows on Netflix.
A potential memoir from Meghan: Meghan has received multiple offers to write her memoir, but “it’s not something she wants to pursue,” the first source says, noting that there’s a demand for content about their private life and the royals, “but those are the types of projects they don’t want to do.” Harry and Meghan’s luxe lifestyle — they own a $14 million Montecito mansion with a spa and 16 bathrooms — isn’t exactly cheap. A memoir is “the one area where Meghan has a lot of financial clout. It would be hugely lucrative for her,” adds the source, noting it may be worth even more than Harry’s.
Upholding royal standards: “Meghan and Harry are cautious about everything they do and say in order to uphold the standards of the monarchy,” says the source….“They do the best they can not to upset the royals,” says the source. “Everyone who goes into business with them knows there are confines, but it hurts the creativity of the project. They are adamant about having creative control and final edit… and what they can’t say limits things.” Adds Johnson: “Their repeated public criticisms of the royal family have undercut an association that once gave them value. They need to lean away from it.”
H&M are highly selective of their partnerships: “Producers don’t have success with every single project. [Harry and Meghan’s misfires] are just magnified.” The third source says that brands still want to work with the couple. “They get many inquiries but have been very selective.” However, that hasn’t stopped them from feeling “a bit unfairly portrayed,” adds the third source. “They are also genuinely concerned about how it impacts their brand and future deals.”
The future of As Ever: According to the first source, Meghan has “no intention” of distancing herself from As Ever. “She’s expanding it and will be doing more collaborations with existing brands.” In November, As Ever did a pop-up event at Soho House in West Hollywood, and announced on March 17 that it was partnering with luxury flower company High Camp Supply on a collection of artfully arranged blooms. The second source says the brand will be introducing even more “drops” in 2026. “These [types of collabs] have been very well received. The Fell Asleep Here bookmark sold out in just 10 minutes and her Valentine’s Day collaboration with [chocolatier] Compartes sold out in under an hour.”
Why Meghan ended her ShopMy account: The third source says Meghan is “super focused on her family, her foundation work, and bigger-picture projects that feel purposeful, not just Hollywood roles.” When she launched As Ever in March 2025, Meghan also unveiled a ShopMy Instagram page, which allowed her to earn commissions through affiliate links featuring her outfits. But by September, she’d shut it down. “She had thought she wanted to do the blog/influencer route but realized that wasn’t for her,” the third source says of Meghan, who previously ran her lifestyle blog The Tig from 2014 to 2017. “It felt too transactional, too much about promoting products instead of creating meaningful content or impact. She wants her work to reflect who she is and what she cares about, not just selling stuff.”
Well, that explanation for her ShopMy page’s disappearance is interesting. I wish she would have kept up with it, because it was truly driving the British media crazy. It was also a moment for positive pocket-watching – people were in awe of how much product Meghan moves, and they were forecasting a very lucrative revenue stream based off of her ShopMy page. But it goes to what I’ve always believed about Meghan in particular, which is that she leaves money on the table. She’s choosy and conservative about potential revenue streams and lucrative offers. I would imagine she’s been offered brand ambassadorships, beauty contracts and publishing deals, and she turns it all down.
“Their repeated public criticisms of the royal family have undercut an association that once gave them value. They need to lean away from it.” I simply don’t take any of these brand-management advisors seriously when they say sh-t like this. Meghan could score an eight-figure deal for her memoir if she ever wanted to write the truth about what happened to her in the UK. Netflix would LOVE a second docuseries called “And Another Thing” where M&H talked even more about Harry’s garbage family.
Photos courtesy of Cover Images. Cover courtesy of Us Weekly.
