Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are slowly (but surely) making attempts to control the narrative surrounding their rift with the royal family — and earning a profit in the process. The couple’s six-part docuseries, “Harry & Meghan,” drops on Netflix this week, but the pair have kept busy in the meantime.
Last night, the couple received the Ripple of Hope Award from the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights organization in New York, per BBC. The ceremony, which was hosted by Alec Baldwin, presented the award to the couple for their work on racial justice and mental health.
The award honors leaders in government, entertainment and business who demonstrate a commitment to social change. The couple founded the Archewell Foundation in 2021, a nonprofit that hopes to unite and uplift communities.
“Our hope with this award is to inspire a new generation of leadership in the arts, where diverse up-and-coming talent have a platform to have their voices heard and their stories told,” the couple said in a statement, per BBC.
What else have Harry and Meghan been up to?
At the end of the trailer for “Harry & Meghan” Markle poses the question, “Doesn’t it make more sense to hear our story from us?” Yes, but we already have — more than once.
The couple has had their fair share of public appearances since their royal departure in 2020.
In March 2021, roughly a year after Meghan and Harry left their royal duties behind, they had the opportunity to defend their controversial decision during an in-depth interview with Oprah Winfrey.
During the interview, Markle revealed that she began contemplating suicide while working and living as a member of the royal family. She also claimed to be a victim of racist attacks from the royal family, per The New York Times.
According to Markle, the royal family had concerns about what her son, Archie’s, skin tone would be. She told Oprah there were several “concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he was born,” per CNN.
Overall, the couple felt attacked by specific family members and British headlines about Markle with “racial undertones,” per CNN. They reassured the audience that they were not leaving the royal family, simply stepping away from their royal duties.
In August, Markle further detailed her royal experience and exit during an interview with The Cut. She reiterated much of what she told Oprah and then went on to share what her life looks like now.
Between the six-part Netflix docuseries and Harry’s memoir, “Spare,” which comes out in January, Harry and Markle have a lot more to say. But is retelling an old story the only reason they keep speaking out?
How Harry and Meghan earn money
In the couple’s Instagram post announcing their exit from British royalty, they claimed to be entering “a progressive new role within this institution,” in which they would be “financially independent.” Upholding their positions as public figures with a royal background has proven to be an expensive endeavor.
The couple just bought a $14.65 million house in Montecito, California, complete with a pool house, chicken coop and beautiful property, per The Cut. But the multimillion-dollar home is well within their means.
Their Netflix deal is reportedly worth $100 million, per Elle, and Markle’s personal platform on Spotify — a podcast called “Archetypes” that she uses to take down labels put on women — was a $25 million deal, according to The Cut.
Meanwhile, Harry was paid $20 million for his book, publishers revealed, according to the New York Post.
How is British royalty receiving the docuseries?
For the most part, British royalty has remained silent over Prince Harry and Markle’s speaking out about their controversial decision.
But with “Harry & Meghan” on the brink of its Netflix release, the documentary that Harry claims will expose the royals’ “dirty game,” British royalty may not stand down any longer.
According to a report from Yahoo News, Prince William and Kate Middleton have “reportedly indicated they will fight back against what they see as any unfounded claims Harry and Meghan make.”
Americans have responded that the couple’s royal exit with limited interest and minor criticisms. But based on British press, the couple is victim to much harsher criticism from the country they left.
The Spectator, a British tabloid said, “Quick, nurse, pass the sick bag! The wokest couple in all the West is at it again.”
“Prince Harry and Meghan have declared all-out war against the Royal family,” a headline for The London Times read.
It is not clear how William and Kate plan to respond to this so-called “war,” but with so much chatter about the docuseries before it’s even been released, maybe Harry and Meghan have already accomplished what they set out to do. As the saying goes, all press is good press.