Commentator claims business interests, not just family ties, are driving talk of reconciliation
The Duke of Sussex has been accused of hinting at a possible reconciliation with the Royal Family for business reasons rather than purely emotional ones.
Royal author Duncan Larcombe has suggested that any desire to repair family relationships may be closely linked to the couple’s commercial future. Speaking to The Mirror, he said the Netflix deal signed by Harry and Meghan Markle in 2020 relies heavily on their ongoing connection to the monarchy.
“If they go on to lose their Netflix deal, it will be a very bitter blow for them,” Larcombe said. He added that stepping away from royal duties has largely worked out for them personally, but warned that they risk underselling their story if they continue in the same direction. “If it means selling the family silver, you do not want to end up in a position where you are not getting full value for it.”
So far, their biggest success has been the 2022 docuseries Harry & Meghan. Other projects, including Live to Lead and Heart of Invictus, have attracted far less attention.
Larcombe argued that the couple’s most marketable material has come from their disputes with the monarchy. However, he warned that this strategy may be reaching its limit. “They have sold their stories, but they have run out of big revelations,” he said. “If they stop making headlines and viewers lose interest, companies like Netflix will not stay loyal just because they are the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.”
He also questioned the impact of some of Meghan Markle’s initiatives, pointing to her 40x40 project, which launched with publicity around her 40th birthday but has since faded from view.
In his view, reconnecting with the Royal Family could be key to keeping their media partnerships alive. “Harry needs to reconcile with his family because that is where their Netflix deal really comes from,” he said. “It is their access to the Royal Family that people want to watch.”
