London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Dec 25, 2025

Prince Harry and Meghan: How could the couple make money?

As part of their plans to step back as senior royals, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex say they intend to "work to become financially independent".

Prince Harry and Meghan plan to split their time between the UK and North America - and their global reach could open up a wealth of opportunities.

But any move into the private sector and the monetisation of the Sussex brand would pose challenges for the royal couple.

"The established rule has always been that if you are a working royal, you don't really do paid work - that one excludes the other," says BBC royal correspondent Jonny Dymond.

"Nearly any employment of the type they are going to get is open to the charge that they are monetising or exploiting their royal brand."

If the couple renounced their royal titles, that would give them more freedom - but there's no suggestion they want to do this.

So far, they have focused on their plans to launch a new "charitable entity". But what opportunities might there be for commercial ventures?


Book deal

While the couple have spoken about their struggles with the intense media interest in their lives, the idea of revealing more about themselves in their own words might be more appealing - and lucrative.

The 2017 book deal signed by Barack and Michelle Obama was believed to be worth more than $60m (£48m).

It's also an area Meghan has previously shown an interest in. In her introduction to last year's September issue of Vogue, which she guest edited, Meghan wrote of her "love of writing".

Before she married Harry, she also ran a lifestyle blog, The Tig, where she shared beauty, fashion and travel tips.

Natalie Jerome, a literary agent at Aevitas, says the couple have "enormous power and reach" and any book deal would be extremely lucrative.

"People have compared them to the Obamas and I think there's potentially some merit in that," she says.

Meghan is an aspirational figure for many women of colour and young people, she adds.

"We're in a period now where we're talking increasingly about diversity within publishing and there's a real push to reach wider audiences," she says.

"If she were to publish a book in her own right and reach out to young people on the ground by doing talks and going to schools like Michelle Obama did, I think the book would be hugely successful."


TV and film

As well as potentially sharing more about their own lives, Harry and Meghan could also turn to causes they are passionate about for material.

For Meghan, these include equality and women's rights, while Harry has been vocal in campaigning on mental health and veterans.

The pair could choose to follow in the steps of the Obamas, who set up their own production company before signing a deal with Netflix, with projects including documentaries addressing social and political activism.

Harry has already teamed up with US media mogul Oprah Winfrey on a series addressing mental health for Apple TV, which is due for broadcast in 2020.

Could there be more TV opportunities in the pipeline?

Meghan, of course, first found fame as an actress, starring in the TV drama Suits.

She gave up her former career when she joined the Royal Family - but if she chose to return to acting she would surely be in high demand.


Public speaking

Another potential avenue for the pair to explore could be after-dinner speeches and events.

Jeremy Lee, director at speaking agency JLA, says if they maintained a positive profile the couple could earn six-figure sums for each appearance.

He predicts demand would be higher in US, where Mr Lee says the pair could earn up to $500,000 (£380,000) per engagement.

However, he says companies in the UK would be more sensitive to reputational risk if public opinion turned against the couple.

Mr Lee predicts UK companies would only be willing to take the royals as speakers at an event linked to one of their campaigning interests, in return for a donation to their charitable foundation - rather than a fee - in the region of £100,000.

But in the US, there would be interest from "anybody that wants to show off and has got the budget", he says.


Commercial partnerships

Whether its a designer handbag or Archie's hand-knitted bobble hat, whenever the Sussexes are pictured with a product, sales go through the roof.

"Any brand on the planet would want to work with them," says journalist and royal style commentator Elizabeth Holmes. "I think it's a question of what they want to do."

Ms Holmes suggests any commercial partnerships would be tied to the couple's charitable causes, perhaps with a secondary opportunity to raise personal income.

For example, Meghan is the patron of a charity that provides free clothing and interview training to unemployed women and has launched her own clothing line for the organisation.

"Meghan really understands the power of fashion," Ms Holmes says, using her choices to promote smaller brands owned by women, often with a sustainable ethos.

However, that doesn't mean we should expect the couple's 10.5 million Instagram followers to be suddenly bombarded with sponsored content and product placement, Ms Holmes says.

While the royal couple have a huge platform, it pales in comparison to the likes of Kylie Jenner, who has more than 150 million Instagram followers.

The reality TV star, who topped last year's Instagram rich list, is estimated to earn around $1.2m (£960,000) for a single sponsored post.

Could Meghan and Harry follow that trend? Ms Holmes says: "I don't think that's necessarily an appropriate thing for a member of the Royal Family."

In June last year, the duke and duchess also applied to trademark the "Sussex Royal" brand across items including books, calendars, clothing, charitable fundraising and campaigning.

This opens up the option of launching their own brands, from beauty products to clothing lines. However, any move that could be seen as exploiting the royal brand would be likely to promote criticism.

Ms Holmes says this is a real risk in any commercial venture, adding: "That's why I think they'll be careful about it."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Mortgage Rates Edge Lower as Bank of England Base Rate Cut Filters Through Lending Market
U.S. Supermarket Gives Customers Free Groceries for Christmas After Computer Glitch
Air India ‘Finds’ a Plane That Vanished 13 Years Ago
Caviar and Foie Gras? China Is Becoming a Luxury Food Powerhouse
Hong Kong Climbs to Second Globally in 2025 Tourism Rankings Behind Bangkok
From Sunniest Year on Record to Terror Plots and Sports Triumphs: The UK’s Defining Stories of 2025
Greta Thunberg Released on Bail After Arrest at London Pro-Palestinian Demonstration
Banksy Unveils New Winter Mural in London Amid Festive Season Excitement
UK Households Face Rising Financial Strain as Tax Increases Bite and Growth Loses Momentum
UK Government Approves Universal Studios Theme Park in Bedford Poised to Rival Disneyland Paris
UK Gambling Shares Slide as Traders Respond to Steep Tax Rises and Sector Uncertainty
Starmer and Trump Coordinate on Ukraine Peace Efforts in Latest Diplomatic Call
The Pilot Barricaded Himself in the Cockpit and Refused to Take Off: "We Are Not Leaving Until I Receive My Salary"
UK Fashion Label LK Bennett Pursues Accelerated Sale Amid Financial Struggles
U.S. Government Warns UK Over Free Speech in Pro-Life Campaigner Prosecution
Newly Released Files Shed Light on Jeffrey Epstein’s Extensive Links to the United Kingdom
Prince William and Prince George Volunteer Together at UK Homelessness Charity
UK Police Arrest Protesters Chanting ‘Globalise the Intifada’ as Authorities Recalibrate Free Speech Enforcement
Scambodia: The World Owes Thailand’s Military a Profound Debt of Gratitude
Women in Partial Nudity — and Bill Clinton in a Dress and Heels: The Images Revealed in the “Epstein Files”
US Envoy Witkoff to Convene Security Advisers from Ukraine, UK, France and Germany in Miami as Peace Efforts Intensify
UK Retailers Report Sharp Pre-Christmas Sales Decline and Weak Outlook, CBI Survey Shows
UK Government Rejects Use of Frozen Russian Assets to Fund Aid for Ukraine
UK Financial Conduct Authority Opens Formal Investigation into WH Smith After Accounting Errors
UK Issues Final Ultimatum to Roman Abramovich Over £2.5bn Chelsea Sale Funds for Ukraine
Rare Pink Fog Sweeps Across Parts of the UK as Met Office Warns of Poor Visibility
UK Police Pledge ‘More Assertive’ Enforcement to Tackle Antisemitism at Protests
UK Police Warn They Will Arrest Protesters Chanting ‘Globalise the Intifada’
Trump Files $10 Billion Defamation Lawsuit Against BBC as Broadcaster Pledges Legal Defence
UK Says U.S. Tech Deal Talks Still Active Despite Washington’s Suspension of Prosperity Pact
UK Mortgage Rules to Give Greater Flexibility to Borrowers With Irregular Incomes
UK Treasury Moves to Position Britain as Leading Global Hub for Crypto Firms
U.S. Freezes £31 Billion Tech Prosperity Deal With Britain Amid Trade Dispute
Prince Harry and Meghan’s Potential UK Return Gains New Momentum Amid Security Review and Royal Dialogue
Zelensky Opens High-Stakes Peace Talks in Berlin with Trump Envoy and European Leaders
Historical Reflections on Press Freedom Emerge Amid Debate Over Trump’s Media Policies
UK Boosts Protection for Jewish Communities After Sydney Hanukkah Attack
UK Government Declines to Comment After ICC Prosecutor Alleges Britain Threatened to Defund Court Over Israel Arrest Warrant
Apple Shutters All Retail Stores in the United Kingdom Under New National COVID-19 Lockdown
US–UK Technology Partnership Strains as Key Trade Disagreements Emerge
UK Police Confirm No Further Action Over Allegation That Andrew Asked Bodyguard to Investigate Virginia Giuffre
Giuffre Family Expresses Deep Disappointment as UK Police Decline New Inquiry Into Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor Claims
Transatlantic Trade Ambitions Hit a Snag as UK–US Deal Faces Emerging Challenges
Ex-ICC Prosecutor Alleges UK Threatened to Withdraw Funding Over Netanyahu Arrest Warrant Bid
UK Disciplinary Tribunal Clears Carter-Ruck Lawyer of Misconduct in OneCoin Case
‘Pink Ladies’ Emerge as Prominent Face of UK Anti-Immigration Protests
Nigel Farage Says Reform UK Has Become Britain’s Largest Party as Labour Membership Falls Sharply
Google DeepMind and UK Government Launch First Automated AI Lab to Accelerate Scientific Discovery
UK Economy Falters Ahead of Budget as Growth Contracts and Confidence Wanes
Australia Approves Increased Foreign Stake in Strategic Defence Shipbuilder
×