Meghan Markle and Prince Harry built their post-royal future around California independence, celebrity influence and commercial freedom after leaving the British monarchy in 2020. Four years later, however, questions are intensifying in both Hollywood and royal circles over whether that strategy has delivered the global reinvention they envisioned.
The latest doubts emerged after royal commentator Mark Dolan claimed Meghan's solo ventures are underperforming and suggested the Duchess of Sussex may now be quietly interested in reconnecting with the Royal Family.
Speaking on the Daily Express's Daily Expresso program, Dolan said: "It's my understanding that Meghan has realised that her solo projects aren't working, that Meghan as this amazing independent brand is not successful."
He added that unnamed insiders viewed the Sussexes' recent four-day visit to Australia as "almost a trial run," arguing the trip resembled a soft reintroduction to the type of royal-style public engagements the couple abandoned after stepping down from frontline duties.
"My royal insiders are telling me that she's all out now to get back to the UK to reconnect with King Charles and to effectively be Princess Meghan again. That's what Australia was about, dipping their toe back in that water," Dolan said.
Neither King Charles III nor Buckingham Palace has publicly commented on the claims, and representatives for Harry and Meghan have offered no indication that formal discussions about any return to royal duties are taking place.
Still, the speculation arrives during a period of uneven commercial results for the Sussex brand.
Meghan's lifestyle venture, As Ever, has generated attention through limited product releases, particularly jams and preserves that reportedly sell out quickly after launch. Yet the broader entertainment portfolio that once positioned the couple as major streaming power players appears less secure than it did shortly after their high-profile deals with Netflix and Spotify were announced.
Industry attention intensified after reports that Meghan's Netflix lifestyle series, With Love, Meghan, would not receive a third season. According to the source material, the second season struggled to attract major viewership and reportedly failed to break into Netflix's top-ranked programming, though the platform has continued portions of the project through seasonal specials.
For a couple initially presented as transformative figures within streaming media, the trajectory has fueled debate over whether public fascination with the Sussexes still translates into sustained commercial demand.
At the same time, Meghan's public presentation continues to lean heavily on royal identity rather than distance from it.
During an appearance in her Netflix series alongside Mindy Kaling, Meghan corrected her friend after Kaling referred to her as "Meghan Markle." Meghan replied: "You know I'm Sussex now."
The moment generated widespread discussion online, particularly because Sussex functions as a royal title rather than a conventional surname.
Observers have pointed to similar examples elsewhere. In a Harper's Bazaar feature written by Kaitlyn Greenidge, Meghan's entrance was reportedly announced formally as "The Duchess of Sussex" before interviews inside the Montecito property.
Greenidge wrote: "A golf cart pulls up, gravel crunching under its tyres. 'The Duchess of Sussex,' someone announces."
Later in the same piece, she added: "When I enter, the house manager announces, 'Meghan, Duchess of Sussex,' even though we appear to be the only other two people in the house."
Those details have reinforced criticism from royal commentators who argue Meghan's California identity remains inseparable from the royal institution she publicly criticized.
The broader challenge facing the Sussexes is structural as much as reputational.
Royal life previously provided an unmatched global platform through:
- State visits and official tours
- Royal patronages and charity affiliations
- International media coverage tied automatically to monarchy events
- Institutional support and ceremonial visibility
Outside that framework, Harry and Meghan entered a highly competitive American entertainment and branding market where visibility must be continually earned rather than institutionally guaranteed.
The couple has maintained significant public attention through interviews, documentaries, speaking appearances and philanthropic initiatives. Yet critics argue the shift from royal symbolism to celebrity entrepreneurship has proven harder to sustain than initially expected.
