Meghan Markle and Prince Harry advised to ‘disappear professionally’ after latest setback
MONTECITO, CALIFORNIA: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are facing renewed scrutiny over their business ventures following the disappointing box office performance of their latest documentary, ‘Cookie Queens.’
A royal commentator has advised the couple to step back professionally and focus on fewer projects. The film marked their theatrical feature debut as executive producers through Archewell Productions.
Kinsey Schofield urges Harry and Meghan to scale back
Royal commentator Kinsey Schofield, host of YouTube’s 'Kinsey Schofield Unfiltered,' believes Harry and Meghan have plenty of name recognition but have not found a way to turn it into revenue from loyal consumers, according to Page Six.
She recommends that the couple “disappear professionally for a little while,” reduce announcements and identify one compelling project with experienced people who know how to execute it.
Schofield believes reputation recovery will not come from another rebrand or glossy publicity campaign, but from “less talking, fewer announcements and more execution.”
She adds that success can be an effective reputation-management strategy, suggesting the couple make something “undeniable” so the conversation changes.
Meghan has pursued several business ventures, including podcasting, the Netflix cooking show ‘With Love, Meghan’ and her As Ever brand. The couple’s Spotify podcasting deal ended in 2023 after one season of ‘Archetypes,’ while Netflix ended its partnership with her in March.
Schofield advised them to “pick a lane, become good at it and allow success to rebuild credibility." She also believes they should stop treating their celebrity as the product and instead create products strong enough to succeed without their celebrity.
She further advises the couple to “get out of the way” when it comes to their projects and allow professionals to handle decisions. Schofield also believes their future projects should move beyond their grievances with the royal family.
Meghan Markle’s ‘Cookie Queens’ link and box office performance
Schofield also argues there are “only so many times you can tell audiences why you left the royal family” and that Harry and Meghan must prove audiences are interested in their taste, ideas and storytelling beyond the monarchy.
She believes their renewed efforts toward reconciliation with King Charles may reflect their need to rebuild credibility, as their fractured royal relationship has become a professional liability.
‘Cookie Queens,’ which follows four young Girl Scouts during the intense cookie-selling season, was released in select theaters on August 7.
The film opened at No 15 and made $735 per screen, according to Boxoffice Pro. It has since grossed $513,148 domestically, according to The Numbers.
Despite the disappointing box office showing, the duo stepped out for a date night at a gala celebrating the 40th anniversary of David Foster’s foundation in Canada earlier this month. Meghan also honored her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana, by wearing her iconic diamond and sapphire earrings.
Her connection to ‘Cookie Queens’ goes beyond her role as executive producer. Director Alysa Nahmias revealed that Meghan’s own childhood as a Girl Scout helped create an immediate connection with the documentary.
Meghan’s mother was her troop leader, and she participated in the same Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles council. Nahmias said Meghan also connected with the girls’ stories and the film’s broader themes of entrepreneurship, ambition and girlhood.
