Meghan Markle, the former actress and wife of Prince Harry, has come under scrutiny for benefiting financially from her royal titles, despite her previous criticism of the institution.
She recently signed a lucrative deal with talent agency WME, which represents renowned Hollywood figures such as Rihanna, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and Matt Damon.
The CEO of WME, Ari Emanuel, is well-known for his collaborations with industry heavyweights like Mark Wahlberg, Martin Scorsese, and Charlize Theron.
Reports suggest that Meghan insisted on being addressed by her royal title within the agency, prohibiting the use of her first name.
This revelation came to light through a blind item published on May 11th.
Furthermore, a guest who visited Meghan’s Montecito mansion disclosed that she prefers her staff to curtsy when meeting her and address her solely by her royal title, rather than her birth name.
Speculation surrounds Meghan’s motive for signing such a significant deal with a prominent Hollywood talent agency.
Some believe she aims to establish herself as a powerful player in Tinseltown.
However, Ingrid Seward, Royal Family Expert and Editor-in-Chief of Majesty Magazine, cautioned that Meghan might face a reminder of her declining popularity early on in her relationship with the agency.
During an episode of his show on Sky News Australia, host Chris Kenny pondered whether Meghan would attend the coronation and potentially promote herself through social media.
In response, Seward expressed doubt, stating that Meghan will likely approach such events cautiously.
Seward also noted that the William Morris agency, which Meghan has joined, may strive to rebuild her popularity.
Interestingly, Seward suggested that Harry appears to have a limited role in this endeavor, as the focus remains primarily on Meghan due to her royal status.
While Prince Harry and Meghan Markle no longer carry out official royal duties, they have retained their Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles.
However, critics argue that the couple has utilized these titles to advance their careers, as evidenced by their lucrative media deals with Netflix and Spotify.
Piers Morgan, in his talk TV show on Sky News Australia, expressed his opinion on the matter, prompting royal author Tina Brown to caution against stripping the couple of their titles.
Brown argued that doing so would only fuel their grievances and create further controversy.
Paul Burrell, Princess Diana’s former butler, echoed this sentiment, asserting that Prince Charles cannot revoke the royal titles from Harry and Meghan.
Burrell explained that their status as royals is their unique selling point, enabling them to capitalize on their association with the royal family, particularly in America where they are considered royalty.
Therefore, any attempt to remove their titles would likely be futile.
Looking ahead, Tina Brown highlighted that Harry and Meghan now face the challenge of proving themselves in the realm of celebrity content.
All eyes are on their next moves as they navigate this new phase in their careers.