Prince Harry and Meghan Markle “Know They’ve Probably Gone Too Far” with Attacking the Royal Family, Expert Says
The couple inked deals with Spotify, Netflix, and Penguin Random House with the expectation of sharing their story of life within the Firm.


Love it or hate it, a big chunk of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s content since stepping back as working members of the royal family has been about their experience inside the Firm—think their sit-down with Oprah Winfrey, their six-part Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan, and Harry’s memoir Spare. Multiple outlets report that Harry and Meghan know they went too far with attacking the royal family, never more so than in the continued fallout from the couple’s $20 million deal with Spotify falling apart last month.
Speaking specifically about Meghan, royal expert Tom Bower told OK “All she’s got is the baggage of the Oprah Winfrey interview and her damnation of the royal family in various successive interviews. That’s why she’s been so quiet the whole year. She knows they’ve probably gone too far, and she doesn’t know how to get out of it now. What is fascinating is how will it end? What will the climax be?”
Princess Diana’s former butler and confidante Paul Burrell said, per The Mirror, that Harry and Meghan “misunderstood what was expected of them” when it came to their deal with both Spotify and Netflix (which is still in play), and, after they decided to no longer attack the royal family, have “fallen short of everything that was expected.”
“Obviously, Spotify was a money-making exercise as much as Netflix was, and I think that Harry and Meghan both misunderstood what was expected of them,” he said. “Of course, both Spotify and Netflix wanted royal content. After all, that’s what they’re famous for. Both Netflix and Spotify signed up for that content, for their story, for their experience with the royal family and, sadly, I think it’s been shortcoming.”
Burrell’s solution? He said the couple need to “reinvent themselves” to secure future brand partnerships and should focus on continuing their charity and humanitarian work: “[Princess Diana] always said the price you pay for this wonderful lifestyle is public service, and you have to give something back,” said Burrell, speaking on behalf of Slingo. “Where is Harry and Meghan’s public service? They both have a great platform they could use for this. Maybe they will. I hope they will.”
Burrell predicted Meghan will “eventually go into beauty and fashion,” adding of a potential future fragrance deal “I’ve always said that, and I can see a bottle of ‘Meghan’ on someone’s dressing table, or perhaps ‘Duchess.’ Why wouldn’t someone want to take a risk with that and create something for Meghan? Then that would give her a foothold and a platform to launch herself into fashion. I think it’s another platform which can give her an opportunity to grow tentacles into different arenas, and I’ve always said that this is just a rung on the ladder. She’s climbing the ladder. She will eventually climb to the top of that ladder.”
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.

Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more.
-
King Charles Views Kate as a "Huge Asset"
"It bodes well for the future."
-
Why Royal Fans "Feel Sorry" for Prince Louis
Meanwhile, King Charles couldn't stop laughing at his grandson's "cheeky" behavior.
-
Sofia Richie Grainge Styles Zebra Pants With Flip-Flops
Next stop on the tour: her elegant wedding venue in the South of France.
-
Body Language Expert Reveals Queen Elizabeth "Truly Embraced" Meghan Markle During Rare Joint Appearance as a "Double Act" in 2018
"The fact that the two of them were appearing together...was quite unique."
-
Why Princess Diana Once "Canceled Lunch" at Kensington Palace to Take Prince William and Prince Harry to McDonald's
A former royal chef revealed the relatable reason Diana took her kids to the popular fast food chain.
-
Prince William and Prince Harry Could Be "Tempted" to Secretly Bid on Their Mother's Outfits in New Auction
Who could blame them?
-
How a "Last-Minute" Message Called an Urgent "Ceasefire" Between Prince Harry and Prince William After Queen Elizabeth Died
"They are better and stronger together than they are apart."
-
How Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Paid Tribute to Princess Diana With Princess Lilibet's 4th Birthday Celebration
The Sussexes spent "two days of pure joy" at Disneyland with their children.
-
Prince William Says Family Can Be a "Mixed Bag" Amid Rift With Prince Harry
The Prince of Wales referenced tough family dynamics during a chat with soldiers.
-
Princess Lilibet Has Prince Harry's Eyes in Adorable New Fourth Birthday Photos
Proud mom Meghan shared some unseen photos of Lili—and she looks just like her dad.
-
All About Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Two Rescue Dogs, Mamma Mia and Pula
Prince Harry says the pair are "emotional support dogs 100 percent, when they're behaving."