Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, are facing a challenging start to 2024.
According to a report by Daily Express, The couple, who were labeled as the “biggest losers” of 2023, are already off to a rocky start this year.
Royal commentators and experts predict that this year may not be any better for the Sussexes.
Mark Boardman, a royal commentator and the founder of MarkMeets.com, has shared his insights on the matter.
Boardman suggests that the reported fallout with the Beckhams and the humorous jabs at the Golden Globes add layers to their public image.
These incidents indicate the substantial work that lies ahead for the couple.
Boardman believes that understanding how these dynamics may influence their personal and professional choices in 2024 will be a compelling discussion.
In the summer of 2023, reports emerged that the Sussexes were facing a “freeze out” in Los Angeles.
This was followed by the loss of their Netflix and Spotify deals, which were both short-lived and not very successful.
Their foundation, Archewell, also announced a donation drop of $11 million from the previous year, leaving it in the red.
The couple feels there is a “vendetta waged against them” by the Royal Family, with the firm blocking lucrative brand deals and pursuing them themselves.
A recent example is Harry and Meghan working towards a deal with Dior, both having been dressed by the fashion house.
However, Queen Camilla wore Dior Haute Couture during a state visit, which was seen as a move against the Sussexes.
Christine Ross, a royal expert and podcaster, has indicated that 2024 will be Meghan and Harry’s ‘year of redemption’.
After several projects fizzled or combusted in 2023, Ross believes we may see a quiet time of reflection from Meghan and Harry as they decide the best next steps.
The couple have already suffered some major embarrassments less than two weeks into the new year.
Golden Globes host Jo Koy took aim at them during his controversial hosting stint.
US-based royal expert Kinsey Schofield also labeled them as “celebrities or reality stars”.
Schofield accused them of “trying to visually maintain the royal aesthetic” through “faux engagements”.
Lee Cohen, the ex-Great Britain adviser to the US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, appeared on Mark Dolan’s GB News show.
Cohen claimed that America has “no appetite” for the Sussexes’ brand.
He believes that their “failure to harm the monarchy” had been their first setback since they moved to California in 2020.
Since then, Harry and Meghan have given a tell-all interview to Oprah and released a Netflix documentary.
Harry’s memoir Spare added further fuel to the fire.
Cohen added that while initially they were received with a great deal of interest, Americans, like Brits, don’t have patience for negativity, for victimhood narratives, for trashing one’s family for monetary gain, and certainly for hypocrisy.
In conclusion, the Sussexes face a challenging year ahead.
They will need to navigate their public image, professional choices, and personal relationships carefully to avoid further setbacks.
Only time will tell if 2024 will indeed be their ‘year of redemption
