Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been making headlines since they announced their decision to step back as senior working members of the royal family in January 2020. Their goal was to achieve financial independence, and they have been actively pursuing various business ventures to support themselves.
Their first step towards independence was the establishment of the Archewell Foundation, a charitable organization that partners with other organizations focusing on mental health awareness, responsible technology use, digital civil rights, support for mothers and families, and combating misinformation in the media. Despite some initial hiccups, such as a delinquency notice from the California attorney general for failure to pay an annual filing fee, the foundation continues its work.
In terms of for-profit ventures, Harry and Meghan signed a lucrative five-year deal with Netflix for a reported $100 million. They have produced two projects for the streaming platform, with more in the works. Additionally, they signed a podcast deal with Spotify, but the partnership dissolved due to alleged productivity issues.
Meghan has also invested in a powdered-latte company called Clevr Blends and launched her podcast series with Lemonada Media. Harry, on the other hand, took on the role of chief impact officer at BetterUp, a virtual career and mental health coaching service. The couple also jointly invested in Ethic, a fintech asset manager focused on sustainable investing.
One of their biggest successes has been Prince Harry’s memoir, Spare, which broke sales records upon its release. Meghan has also teased the launch of her lifestyle brand, AMERICAN RIVIERA ORCHARD BY MEGHAN, DUCHESS OF SUSSEX (MONTECITO), which includes products like jams, jellies, and fruit preserves.
While they have faced challenges and setbacks in their business ventures, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle continue to explore new opportunities and projects to secure their financial independence outside of the royal family. Their journey towards autonomy and success in the business world is a work in progress, with both highs and lows along the way.