Meghan Markle is reportedly "heartbroken" that she and Prince Harry have not reached the level of Hollywood stardom she had envisioned after stepping away from royal life. The Duchess of Sussex has been actively working to build a power network of Hollywood elites but remains frustrated over the lack of widespread acceptance from A-list circles.
"Meghan's new entourage is really stirring the pot in Hollywood," an insider told RadarOnline. The source pointed to her growing ties with figures like Paramount CEO Brian Robbins, saying, "She's basically got a VIP pass to make some serious waves in Tinseltown. I mean, this guy has the connections to chat up just about anyone in the biz without navigating the usual nightmare of flaky agents who never return calls."
The source continued, "It looks like this celebrity supergroup is all about elevating Meghan's status among California's elite. Sure, she had her moment in the spotlight with Suits and that royal fairytale, but let's face it, she's been on the outskirts of the A-list scene."
Despite her efforts to establish herself among entertainment's most powerful names, Markle has struggled to secure major Hollywood allies. Reports indicate that former high-profile friends such as David and Victoria Beckham, George and Amal Clooney, and Tom Cruise have distanced themselves from the Sussexes.
Meanwhile, Markle's recent Netflix series, With Love, Meghan, failed to attract top-tier celebrity guests. According to The Sun, "They struggled to book guests. They had a real hard time, and it shows." While Markle has long been associated with Oprah Winfrey and Serena Williams, neither appeared on her show.
The series, which was filmed at a farmhouse near the couple's Montecito estate, instead featured appearances from her makeup artist Daniel Martin, former Suits co-star Abigail Spencer, and Delfina Blaquier, the wife of Prince Harry's polo friend Nacho Figueras. The lack of A-list participation has fueled speculation about Markle's declining influence in Hollywood.
Another awkward moment from the show involved Mindy Kaling, who repeatedly referred to Markle as "Meghan Markle." The Duchess quickly corrected her, saying, "It's so funny you keep saying Meghan Markle, you know I'm Sussex now." Markle added, "I didn't know how meaningful it would be to me but it just means so much to go, 'This is our family name. Our little family name'." Kaling simply responded, "Well, now I know."
Markle's business ventures have also faced obstacles. Her lifestyle brand, originally launched as American Riviera Orchard, was swiftly rebranded as As Ever after she was reportedly told she could not trademark the original name. The brand has so far only produced a limited batch of jam for close friends, with no larger product rollout announced.
Despite these setbacks, Markle is determined to reposition herself in Hollywood, working to form relationships with Kerry Washington, Jessica Alba, Billie Eilish, and Adam Levine, among others. "She's trying to build a new power base, but it's not easy," a source told RadarOnline.
For now, both Markle and Prince Harry remain in a transitional phase, with insiders suggesting that their Hollywood ambitions are far from realized. "They expected to be at the center of the A-list social scene," one source said. "But so far, they're still on the outside looking in."
