Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are facing mounting isolation in Hollywood and a sharp decline in professional opportunities, according to insiders who say the couple's 2025 ambitions have devolved into their "year from hell." The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who left royal duties in 2020 to build a global media empire, are reportedly confronting dwindling demand from studios, strained personal dynamics, and growing scepticism among the A-list circles they once sought to join.
Sources quoted by GLOBE Magazine described the couple as "emotionally frayed and wondering if they're ever going to catch a break." One insider said, "They had such big plans for 2025 and really believed it would be their breakthrough period. Instead, it's turned into the year from hell!"
Meghan Markle's widely promoted Netflix cooking programme, With Love, Meghan, has performed far below expectations and reportedly triggered "global ridicule." The weak reception has intensified industry doubts about the sustainability of the Sussexes' streaming appeal, which has diminished since the success of their initial Netflix docuseries in 2022.
Prince Harry, meanwhile, is said to be "deeply homesick," missing the structure of life in the United Kingdom and struggling with the fallout from his 2023 memoir Spare. Insiders claim the couple is "clashing and bickering a lot more these days," reflecting pressure created by stalled careers and shrinking support networks.
The most serious consequence is the erosion of goodwill among Hollywood elites. Sources say influential figures in Los Angeles-and Harry's former social circle in Britain-have distanced themselves, wary of what some describe as the couple's "self-obsessed and delusional tendencies." One insider was quoted as saying, "There is not only no appetite left for them in L.A., but they've also worn through any goodwill they had."
An incident at Kris Jenner's 70th birthday celebration appears to have crystallised the shift. Although the Sussexes attended, sources claim the pair later asked the Kardashian family to remove social media photos featuring them. Publicity strategists warn that such requests reinforce the perception of a "toxic brand," complicating future invitations from top-tier entertainment circles.
The deterioration of their Hollywood standing has severe financial implications. The once-anticipated "$15 million gigs" have not materialised, leaving their "paycheck possibilities... thin and humbling," according to one insider. This climate reportedly influenced Meghan's decision to return to acting. In November, she accepted a role playing herself in Close Personal Friends, marking her first screen credit since leaving Suits in 2017. Although the film features Brie Larson and Lily Collins, the role "seems like more of a cameo than a leading role," a source said.
Harry is said to be unhappy with the arrangement, frustrated that Meghan is "schmoozing" with industry figures while he remains largely at home caring for their children, Archie and Lilibet.
Compounding the couple's problems is what insiders describe as a "brutal staff revolt," with as many as 25 employees reportedly departing their service and levelling allegations that the Sussexes are extraordinarily difficult employers. These reports arrive alongside Harry's continuing efforts to repair his "fractured relationship" with the royal family-tensions fuelled by Spare and ongoing estrangement from Prince William.
"They've got very few friends to lean on, staff continue to walk out in droves, Harry's brother, Prince William, is still baying for their blood and their paycheck possibilities are thin and humbling," an insider said.
Despite the bleak outlook, sources say the couple is attempting to "regroup and plan to go again." Whether that recalibration will succeed-or whether their troubles will stretch into 2026-remains an open question.
