Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s latest documentary, Cookie Queens, has sparked debate following its modest box office performance.
Produced under the couple’s Archewell Productions banner, the film follows Girl Scouts competing to sell cookies. Its limited theatrical results have prompted questions about whether the Sussexes’ considerable media attention translates into a reliable audience for their projects.
PR expert Mayah Riyaz, however, cautioned against treating the numbers as a direct reflection of Harry and Meghan’s popularity.
“I would be careful about viewing the box office result as a straightforward verdict on Harry and Meghan themselves,” Riyaz said. “Cookie Queens is a niche documentary about Girl Scouts and their cookie-selling competition, so it was never going to have the natural commercial pull of a major mainstream film.”
She also noted that the documentary received a relatively limited theatrical release, making comparisons with conventional blockbusters difficulty.
Still, Riyaz believes the response highlights a broader challenge for the couple.
“Harry and Meghan have built a huge amount of their profile around being talked about, but there is an important difference between generating headlines and generating audiences,” she said.
“Their names can still dominate the news cycle, but that does not necessarily mean people will spend money or time consuming every project they attach themselves to.”
Riyaz added that projects with less controversy surrounding them may struggle to attract the same level of public curiosity, despite the couple’s continued ability to command media attention.
