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 diminishing five years after their dramatic break with the monarchy.

A source recently said people magazine He said the couple is still learning to navigate public scrutiny. While Meghan reportedly dismissed the criticism as “just noise”, Harry is said to have taken the attacks more personally and remains intensely protective of his wife.

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

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“This will frustrate them because they have experienced the dopamine hit of worship. Their confidence in leaving the royal family stemmed from their perceived popularity. They will continue to put themselves out there because they need to make money, but Meghan’s business ambitions clash with Harry’s desire to rebuild the royal bridges.”

“As long as he uses his title for business, the royal family will keep their distance,” Schofield warned. “And as long as the family maintains this distance, Harry’s popularity will continue to suffer.”

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have come under scrutiny for several missteps. (Kadir İlboğa/Anadolu Agency, via Getty Images)

Schofield said he believed Meghan was being “disingenuous” when she claimed the criticism didn’t bother her.

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“He often addresses certain criticisms in a nuanced way in interviews,” Schofield said. “She definitely sees that. Meghan is the one who is more willing to respond to every rumor or negative story. She made that clear during the Oprah interview.”

“Harry is the complete opposite,” Schofield continued. “She 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, he searches, and it hurts him. Part of the reason they campaign against social media is because of what they read about themselves there.”

Prince Harry told the BBC in May that he was ready to reconcile with his family. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

The once-vaunted power couple has weathered many controversies this year.

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

From left to right: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Serena Williams and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend the 2025 Baby2Baby Gala presented by Paul Mitchell at Pacific Design Center on November 08, 2025 in West Hollywood, California. The same day, the Sussexes were spotted at Kris Jenner’s birthday party. (Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Baby2Baby)

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.

Kinsey Schofield predicts Meghan Markle will continue to surround herself with key power players in the new year. (Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

People magazine reported days later that Meghan called the claim that she bought a $1,700 designer dress from a 2022 photo shoot “categorically false” and “deeply defamatory.” The outlet noted: Harper’s Bazaar cover story The author was also criticized for saying that she was introduced as “Meghan, Duchess of Sussex” even though they were alone at home.

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Meghan Markle appears on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar’s December 2025/January 2026 Art Issue. (Heathcliff O’Malley – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Still, a source told People magazine that the couple hasn’t let the criticism cause problems in their marriage.

“This would never create friction between them,” the insider said. “They are completely in sync and always act as a team. This never puts them at odds.”

Prince Harry made a surprise appearance in Meghan Markle’s holiday special. (Perry Knotts/Getty Images)

The reactions did not end. Meghan’s holiday special, which premiered on Netflix on December 3, was met with poor reviews, with critics calling the film “embarrassing” and “tone deaf.”

The Duchess of Sussex’s Netflix special, “With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration,” premieres on December 3, 2025. (Netflix)

That same day, Harry made a surprise appearance on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” and met his father, King King III. He hit out at President Donald Trump months after Charles hosted him for a state visit to the United Kingdom. This was the first time a US president had been granted the second full state visit by a British monarch.

Earlier this year, Harry and several other trustees resigned from Sentebale, the African charity he founded, following a public row with the charity’s chief executive, Sophie Chandauka.

Prince Harry made a guest appearance on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” on December 3, 2025. (Scott Kowalchyk/CBS News via Getty Images)

A cover story Published by Vanity Fair It highlighted long-standing complaints about Meghan’s alleged behavior. Others quoted in the story also spoke more positively about the Duchess of Sussex; one producer described her as a “lovely, genuine person”.

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Sophie Chandauka, Nacho Figueras (left), Sentebale ambassador and Sentebale founding patron Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, pose for a photo during the Sentebale ISPS Handa Polo Cup in Singapore on August 12, 2023. (Matt Jelonek/Getty Images for Sentebale)

“They’re ignoring the real scandals,” Schofield said. “They follow the saying ‘Never complain, never explain’ only when it suits them.”

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back from senior royals in 2020 amid excruciating 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, “The Substitute,” about his struggles with royal life, was published in 2023.

“Substitute” was released on January 10, 2023. (Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket)

A source said in June: people magazine He said Meghan was focused on looking forward, while Harry “remained emotionally attached to his royal past.”

Meghan Markle launched her lifestyle brand As Ever in February, followed by the Netflix series “With Love, Meghan” in March. (Netflix)

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

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

Before Meghan Markle became a member of the British royal family, she had a lifestyle blog called The Tig. (Mat Hayward/FilmMagic/Getty Images)

As Meghan expands her brand in California, royal experts say interest in Sussex is waning.

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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped down as senior royals in 2020 and moved to California. (Karwai Tang/WireImage/Getty Images)

“Either they are truly unaware of their waning star power, or they are doing their best to cope with their waning popularity, the waning interest in them, and are reportedly trying to portray the festive comfort that was filmed a year ago.” British royal expert Hilary Fordwich he told Fox News Digital.

“Their reactions are very different,” Fordwich said. “Meghan generally shrugs off criticism, while Harry takes it to heart. Meghan grew up hardened in Hollywood, while Harry is more easily injured. It is mutually beneficial for them to keep up appearances and appear put together and content because they both need their business ventures to be successful.”

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, departs after visiting the Center for Blast Injury Studies at Imperial College London in London on September 10, 2025. (Karwai Tang/WireImage/Getty Images)

Harry’s meeting with his father in September sparked 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, did not respond to Harry’s calls or letters.

King Charles III arrives at Clarence House in London, England on September 10, 2025. The monarch had a private tea with her son Prince Harry. (Belinda Jiao/Getty Images)

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

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

Meghan Markle recently joined the cast of the upcoming series “Close Personal Friends” and played a small role. (Karwai Tang/WireImage/Getty Images)

“He is fiercely independent,” Schofield said. “… [And] It has become the center of Harry’s world. ‘What Meghan wants, Meghan gets.'”

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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are raising their children in California. (Joshua Sammer/Getty Images for Invictus Games Düsseldorf 2023)

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

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