Ever since Meghan Markle and Prince Harry decided to sever their ties with the British royal family in 2020, their public life has been a roller coaster of projects, promises and new beginnings.
However, five years later, experts say the couple is still searching for a clear direction.
Meghan and Harry Face Identity Crisis
According to biographer Hugo Vickers, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex seem stuck in a permanent state of crisis.
“I think they’re always at a crisis point, because they’ve left the Royal Family,” he explained to The Sun.
For the royal expert, the challenge of having moved away from such a structured institution forces them to reinvent themselves over and over again to continue to capture attention.
Meghan has recently launched several projects, such as her series With Love, Meghan on Netflix, her brand As Ever and her second podcast Confessions Of A Female Founder.
However, the results have not been as solid as she had hoped. The podcast, for example, has already disappeared from Spotify’s Top 100, while her brand faces hurdles before establishing itself.
Added to this is her ShopMy page, where she promotes fashion products and receives commissions and which has been a success, although it has also generated some criticism for using the title of ‘Duchess of Sussex’.
Harry, on the other hand, has maintained a somewhat more stable profile with projects such as his Polo documentary for Netflix and the Invictus Games.
Still, specialists perceive that he too faces doubts about his identity after stepping down from his role as acting prince.
Commentator Bronte Coy shared a similar view. She said the couple has given “a lot of redirection” in recent times, as they try to stabilize after several deals fell through and plans changed.
For her, much of this instability stems from not having a clear role model once outside the royal circle.
In addition, observers point to a major difference in their aspirations.
While Meghan seems focused on building a multimillion-dollar career in show business, Harry projects a simpler desire.
Coy commented that she has the impression that Harry would be happy “just sort of be surfing and doing some charity duties every once in a while” something she says contrasts with Meghan’s ambition.
The tension between these visions of the future could be weighing both professionally and personally.
The pressure of having to define her new place in the world, coupled with the lack of a concrete direction, is creating what some are already calling a “post-royal identity crisis.”