Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Advised to Lay Low ‘Professionally’ After Debut Film Struggles to Get off the Ground

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are facing fresh scrutiny over their business strategy following a disappointing theatrical outing. Industry voices suggest a quieter, more focused approach could help repair their standing in Hollywood.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have reportedly been advised to pump the brakes on their professional pursuits after their latest venture failed to perform as well as expected at the box office. Now, the couple is being urged to pause their business ventures altogether.

The pair recently made their theatrical feature film debut as executive producers with the documentary "Cookie Queens," which follows four Girl Scouts navigating the height of cookie-selling season.

The film opened in theaters on August 7 and has since grossed a total of $513,148 domestically.

Jeff Bock, senior media analyst at Exhibitor Relations, offered his take on what may have hurt the film's performance, pointing to a puzzling call by indie distributor Roadside Attractions to release "Cookie Queens" during summer.

"The documentary probably should have been released at the height of Girl Scout cookie season, when the cookies, and the girls selling them, are part of the national conversation," Bock said.

"For a small documentary, timing is marketing. It missed the very window that could have made it feel relevant and turned curiosity into ticket sales. Guess that's the way the cookie crumbles," he added.

Royal commentator Kinsey Schofield, host of YouTube's "Kinsey Schofield Unfiltered," offered a wider view of the situation.

She pointed out that while Harry and Meghan have plenty of name recognition, they haven't yet figured out how to convert that recognition into revenue from a loyal customer base.

"I would tell them to disappear professionally for a little while, dramatically reduce the number of announcements, and identify one genuinely compelling project with experienced people around them who know how to execute it," Schofield said.

"Reputation recovery is possible, but I don't think it comes from another rebrand or another glossy publicity campaign," she continued. "I would recommend the opposite. Less talking, fewer announcements and more execution."

"Success is one of the most effective reputation-management strategies in Hollywood. Make something undeniable and suddenly the conversation changes."

Meghan, meanwhile, has dabbled in a string of business ventures, from podcasting to her Netflix cooking show, "With Love, Meghan," to launching her As Ever brand.

Her Spotify podcasting deal, which reportedly earned the couple a combined $20 million, came to an end in 2023 after just one season of her show, "Archetypes." Netflix similarly parted ways with her this past March.

Schofield weighed in further, "When you try to establish authority in every category simultaneously, you can end up establishing authority in none of them. Pick a lane, become good at it and allow success to rebuild credibility."

"They need to stop treating their celebrity as the product and start creating products strong enough to survive without their celebrity."

Schofield also advises the couple to "get out of the way" rather than trying to control every decision on projects they're involved with, letting industry professionals take the lead instead. She added that they should steer clear of projects tied to their ongoing grievances with the royal family.

"There are only so many times you can tell audiences why you left the royal family," she explained. "If they want longevity in entertainment, they have to prove people are interested in their taste, ideas and storytelling when the monarchy isn't the hook."

"I also don't think it's a coincidence that we're seeing renewed efforts toward reconciliation with King Charles at a moment when Harry and Meghan need to rebuild their credibility," Schofield added. "I suspect that they understand that their fractured relationship with the royal family has become a professional liability."