Meghan Markle has been struggling to secure lucrative commercial deals after the release of ‘Endgame’, a controversial book by her alleged ‘mouthpiece’ Omid Scobie. The book, which claims to reveal the truth behind the Sussexes’ exit from the royal family, has backfired on Meghan and damaged her reputation and popularity.
Wilkinson was referring to the reported cancellation of the Sussexes’ multi-million dollar contract with Spotify, which was supposed to produce exclusive podcasts for the streaming platform. However, after only releasing one episode in December 2020, the couple have not delivered any new content, and Spotify has reportedly decided to end the deal.
According to Express, Wilkinson also said that the release of ‘Endgame’ in November 2023, which coincided with the first anniversary of the Sussexes’ bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, was a major setback for Meghan’s image and credibility. The book, which is a sequel to Scobie’s previous biography ‘Finding Freedom’, claims to expose the racism, sexism, and bullying that Meghan faced within the royal family and the British media.
However, the book also sparked a new wave of criticism and backlash against Meghan, especially after a Dutch edition of the book named two members of the monarchy who allegedly raised ‘concerns’ about the skin colour of Meghan and Harry’s son Archie before he was born. The book also accused the royal family of lying, leaking, and covering up the truth about the Sussexes’ departure.
Wilkinson said that the book had ruined the Sussexes’ efforts to improve their public perception and to mend their relationship with the royal family. He said: “I thought they were doing really well keeping out of negative headlines…but Endgame blew that all out of the water and then all the negative headlines went back on to them.
I think they are going in the right direction. They are trying to market Meghan as a California girl, and I think they just need to carry on down that kinder gentler route, not having rows with the Royal Family and just enjoying their life in California. They were on their way to doing that until the two names came out in Endgame and that blew things apart.”
Meghan’s failure to secure big commercial projects has also been attributed to her lack of appeal and relevance in the US market. According to Neil Sean, a royal commentator who spoke to Fox News, Meghan might lose potential investors who would help her revive her career. Sean said: “I do think also that Meghan’s stint on the Variety carpet and the WME agency, they’ve got a lot of work to do to try and convince anybody over here that there is anything worth investing in.”
Sean also suggested that Meghan should focus more on her philanthropic rather than commercial activities, and follow the example of her sister-in-law, the Duchess of Cambridge. He said: “I think what Meghan needs to do is look at what Kate’s doing. Kate’s doing a lot of good work, she’s not looking for any money, she’s not looking for any fame, she’s just doing what she does best, which is being a royal.”.
