Harry and Meghan’s brand faces a crossroads with UK return

In late July, Meghan's lifestyle range, As Ever, launched a new blackberry spread alongside a softly lit video of her picking the fruit.

In late July, Meghan’s lifestyle range, As Ever, launched a new blackberry spread alongside a softly lit video of her picking the fruit. A month later, she and Prince Harry announced plans to return and live in the UK, just as blackberry season winds down.

Whether another such video follows remains unclear, especially since experts say the couple’s wider brand is now at a turning point.

Since their departure from royal duties in 2020, most of the Sussexes’ California-based ventures, from streaming deals to fragrance lines, have struggled to draw large audiences. Experts say it’s genuinely unclear what direction they’ll take next.

Their UK return has surprised many, and although they will not resume royal duties, questions remain about what comes instead. Oxford marketing professor Andrew Stephen says the couple excelled early at capturing attention and monetising it, but have struggled to turn that into a lasting brand identity.

He describes their current portfolio as fragmented, spanning social impact, entertainment and lifestyle, making it hard to define exactly what their brand represents.

Their $100 million Netflix deal and $25 million Spotify agreement, both signed in 2020, have delivered underwhelming results by most measures. The Netflix arrangement produced just five shows over five years before being replaced with a lower-commitment, first-look agreement last year. Spotify, meanwhile, parted ways with the couple back in 2023.

Branding expert Susan Fournier warns that the couple’s repeated pivots, from royal insiders to critics to media producers to lifestyle influencers, carry real risk. She argues that once a brand shifts direction dramatically, reversing course becomes difficult, and a UK return could look like yet another turn rather than a resolution.

Stephen suggests the solution lies in building a focused, coherent set of ventures and credible causes, rather than continuing to diversify.

One possibility involves Meghan returning to acting, with reports suggesting talks over a role in Netflix’s “The Gentlemen.” Her lifestyle brand, As Ever, is also expected to continue regardless of the move.

A potential relocation to the Cotswolds has also sparked interest, with stylist Laura Stoloff suggesting genuine synergy between Meghan’s brand and English country life. Still, Stephen cautions that a new postcode alone won’t reposition a brand, only consistent action will.