Meghan Markle and Prince Harry may have secured a fresh deal with Netflix, but branding experts have cautioned the couple to tread carefully as they move forward with new projects.
Edward Coram-James, CEO of the PR agency Go Up, told the Daily Express that while the Sussexes still have influence, their approach could determine whether their partnership with the streaming giant succeeds—or once again faces backlash.
“Netflix deals fluctuate all the time, and the fact that their first projects generated headlines and viewership shows they still have pull. The real issue is managing expectations,” Coram-James explained. According to him, one of the main challenges the couple faces is their combined image. “Their brand comes with huge anticipation, so when returns don’t match the hype, it’s easy for their critics to pounce,” he said.
He went on to stress that the “joint brand is the problem,” adding that Meghan and Harry’s individual passions are pulling them in different directions. “You can’t separate Harry from the military and his passion projects, and you can’t separate Meghan from Hollywood and her passion projects. When they are together, it’s a conflict of interest that confuses the public and provides an easy target for criticism,” Coram-James noted.
By contrast, keeping their public personas somewhat distinct has already started working in their favor, he suggested. “From a PR standpoint, keeping their brands separate, as they have been doing lately, creates clearer storylines for audiences,” he said.
The Sussexes signed a reported $100 million deal with Netflix in 2020, which brought forth projects such as the docuseries Harry & Meghan and Harry’s Heart of Invictus. While both generated widespread attention, critics branded the partnership as an “expensive failure” after some projects fell short of Netflix’s high expectations.
Coram-James believes that with their new approach, the couple could finally turn the narrative around. “If they succeed with their separate branding strategy, they may finally shake the ‘expensive failure’ label,” he concluded.
As Prince Harry leans into projects centered on veterans and his Invictus Games foundation, and Meghan develops lifestyle and entertainment-driven ventures, royal watchers and industry insiders will be watching closely to see whether the Sussexes can balance independence with the global curiosity that still surrounds them as a couple.