Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are leaving their California life and moving back to the UK, a move that would have felt unimaginable a few years ago. In January 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced their decision to step down as working members of the British Royal Family. The years that followed included a tell-all Oprah interview, a Netflix docuseries, and Harry's memoir Spare.
Now a new chapter begins, and rebuilding a reputation likely won't happen overnight.
Lifestyle Brand and Commercial Prospects
It's believed Meghan will continue running her lifestyle brand, As Ever, from the UK. The company sells jams, teas, scented candles, and edible flower sprinkles. PR guru Andy Barr, Head of Brand Communications at Season One Communications, told The Mirror that the UK represents the "second most lucrative career market" outside the US for Meghan. He noted that Meghan's "Middle England brand" could do well on British shores, saying: "The WI brigade love her kind of content, and that's exactly who she appeals to. She feels very Cath Kidston, Emma Bridgewater. You know, the very sort of Middle England brand level that is aspiring."
Andy anticipates that retailers like John Lewis and Marks & Spencer, which "fit perfectly with her brand," will wait to see how British consumers respond to the Sussexes. He believes a reputation repair campaign must come first before the couple begins "testing the water with commercial collaborations."
Reputation Repair and Camilla's Example
The couple will not return as working royals and have secured a private, non-royal residence in Britain. With homes in the US and Portugal, Andy said: "They do have a commercial need to work. They're not part of the royal purse anymore, and they need to dare I say it, get a job." He added that increased proximity to Harry's family could restore some royal sparkle to Meghan's bankability, though he noted: "I think it's going to be very hard for Meghan to re-establish her career in the UK. There's been a lot of negativity written about her."
According to YouGov statistics, Meghan has a popularity rating of 18 per cent among Brits polled, compared to 65 per cent for Catherine, Princess of Wales. Andy said Queen Camilla is the best role model for reputation repair: "In terms of a reputation repair plan, she's got the best role model there is in that, in Camilla, in that she was absolutely savaged by the UK media for a good chunk of her early life, but she's now turned it around and is the queen of our hearts." He believes Meghan should "keep quiet for a period of time, not launch straight into a campaign," and focus on charity outreach before exploring commercial opportunities.
TV Cameos and Charity Work
Meghan recently appeared as a guest judge on Masterchef Australia and has an upcoming cameo in the film Close Personal Friends. Andy believes she may make cameos in the UK: "I think that she will make a few cameos to test the water and see how it works. But let's not forget, she's appeared on American shows, Australian shows, and really has global appeal. The UK TV industry is the last market she's not cracked."
Regarding a memoir, Meghan said on The Jamie Kern Lima Show in April 2025: "People are often curious if I'm going to write a memoir, but I've got a lot more life to live before I'm there."
Meghan has shown commitment to charitable causes, including the 2018 cookbook project Together: Our Community Cookbook for women impacted by the Grenfell tragedy, and patronage of Smart Works. Andy believes she will continue charitable work but warns there should be "no mix-up between the charity and commercial work," adding: "Charity work is one stream, commercial opportunities are the second, but I don't think the commercial opportunities will come until she's done that reputation repair work in the UK."
In the US, Meghan has involved her children in charity work, including giving out kits to unhoused people and volunteering with Archewell Foundation and Our Big Kitchen Los Angeles. In the UK, Andy expects a more reserved approach with their children, but said: "A few candid pictures, or even really well-managed pictures, of them doing charitable work will certainly help."
PR Team and Inner Circle
Andy warns that reputation repair from Montecito hasn't been entirely successful, with the UK being "a completely different beast." The Sussexes have lost around 25 executive employees in recent years, including two key aides last December. In January, reports surfaced that Meghan had rehired Hollywood comms firm Sunshine Sachs Morgan & Lylis. Andy says Meghan will need "a dedicated team" in the UK, potentially following the example of Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who recruited many social media staff.
Rumours have long circulated that working for the Sussexes has left past staff seeking therapy, with claims of a "toxic" workplace. The Sussexes have denied all claims of bullying.
Meghan has friendly faces in the UK, including the Spencers, Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank, George and Amal Clooney, and Ellen DeGeneres, who moved to the Cotswolds permanently in 2024.
