Meghan Markle and Harry to be ‘busy stateside’ with ‘new project’

Meghan and Harry spent less than two years behind the royal frontline as a married couple before they decided to officially leave the Firm and seek “financial independence”. Within months of their departure, they have secured a megawatt production deal with streaming giant Netflix and a multi-year podcast contract with Spotify. With an estimated £30million ($40million) in their pockets through the Archewell Audio podcast and a reported £74million ($100million) from Netflix, Sussex fans have claimed that the couple have succeeded in their post-royal life goals already.

While these deals have astonished many royal watchers, a glance back at the Sussexes’ “working holiday” in Canada a year ago shows they may have been laying the groundwork long before the public realised.

The couple left the UK in November last year for an extended break on Vancouver Island, and decided to break tradition by spending Christmas away from the rest of the royals.

While out there, Meghan was said to be launching the US arm of their charity Sussex Royal.

Although that particular venture was wound down as the Queen stopped them from using the word “royal” after leaving the Firm, the Sussexes are still thought to be working with the same publicist Meghan met up with while in Canada.

Keleigh Thomas Morgan is a director at the PR firm Sunshine Sachs and was supposed to be helping Meghan with a fundraising campaign.

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However, the PR company was still paid privately according to reports at the time — which could have been an early indication that the couple wanted to move away from the Palace and its Sovereign Grant.

An insider told journalist Erin Vanderhoof: “What is most interesting is that Meghan feels that while the charity [Sussex Royal] will be a worldwide venture, she sees Hollywood and American business circles as key to fundraising.

“Meghan feels that focusing on fundraising stateside will bring in tens of millions of dollars quickly.”

Indeed, now Meghan and Harry have returned to the Duchess’ childhood state of California, many British fans believe they have turned their focus fully onto the American audience.

The couple seemed to be organising their future, even though it was widely assumed they were having a non-working break with their young son Archie Harrison.

This sabbatical followed Meghan’s public confession that she was struggling with the limelight.

Speaking in the ITV documentary, ‘Harry and Meghan: An African Journey’, the Duchess of Sussex said: “Not many people have asked if I’m OK… it’s a very real thing to be going through behind the scenes.”

But now, this bombshell interview from October last year can be seen as the first indication that the couple intended to leave the Royal Family in the near future.

Ms Vanderhoof’s source also illuminated Meghan’s goals when they first went to Canada.

They said: “Even in her younger years in Hollywood, she wanted to work towards creating an international charity changing lives.

“Now that she has the platform and profile of being a British royal she can truly build this plan.

“She sees this foundation as one of the key factors in creating a legacy as a new royal and Harry is right behind her.”

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Speaking to Vanity Fair, the insider added: “While Harry and Meghan are technically on rest, she is not the type of woman who likes doing nothing.”

Although the couple have left Sussex Royal Foundation behind, they are expected to launch their charitable venture Archewell at some point next year.

Its name chimes in with the name they chose for their podcast series, and is expected to give some insight as to what their new foundation will focus on.

However, now that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are no longer working as senior royals, they have to support themselves.

There was a huge uproar before they repaid the £2.4million they spent renovating Frogmore Cottage to the Sovereign Grant.

They are also believed to have stopped receiving an allowance from Prince Charles’ private income.

Their new sprawling £11million mansion in Santa Barbara is expected to have extensive running costs, too.

Royal watchers have therefore been keeping a keen eye on their finances.

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