Meghan Markle

Meghan and Harry announced in January 2020 that they were stepping back as working members of the royal family and intended to become financially independent. They subsequently established their lives in North America and developed commercial activities. Their return to the United Kingdom in 2026 reignited debate about their relationship with the institution.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Institutional responsibility

Meghan and Harry undertook a four-day private tour of Australia that adopted some conventions of a royal tour while including commercial activities. Meghan was notably the main attraction at an exclusive wellness event in Sydney, with tickets costing several thousand dollars.

State of the evidence

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Attribution

Directly implicated

Press reports indicated that Meghan had been considered for a future season of the Netflix series "The Gentlemen". The possibility prompted considerable media debate in the United Kingdom, particularly ahead of the Sussexes' return to the country, and the project was reportedly abandoned.

State of the evidence

Documented

Following the unveiling of the new "As Ever" brand logo, the mayor of Porreres in Mallorca accused Meghan of copying the municipality's historic coat of arms too closely, both designs featuring a palm tree and two birds.

A Vanity Fair investigation into the Sussexes' commercial activities reported accounts from former employees describing difficult management experiences and behaviour they considered cold, controlling or unsettling. These accounts revived earlier controversies concerning Meghan's relationships with her staff.

State of the evidence

Allegations

Attribution

Directly implicated

Samantha Markle, Meghan's half-sister, sued her for defamation over statements made notably during the Oprah interview. A federal judge in Florida dismissed the case with prejudice in March 2024.

Attribution

Accused

California's charity register temporarily classified Archewell Foundation as "delinquent", preventing it from soliciting or distributing funds in California during that period. The incident received extensive media coverage as an administrative compliance issue involving the philanthropic organisation founded by Harry and Meghan.

State of the evidence

Documented

The launch of the lifestyle brand "American Riviera Orchard" encountered trademark registration obstacles. The application was challenged, notably over filing issues and because "American Riviera" is a geographical expression widely associated with the Santa Barbara area, complicating any claim to exclusivity.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Protagonist is the complainant

The multi-year partnership between Spotify and Archewell Audio ended after the production of a single podcast series hosted by Meghan, "Archetypes". The episode fuelled criticism of the couple's productivity and business model following their departure from the royal family.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Associate

Former royal staff members accused Meghan of mistreating or intimidating employees. Buckingham Palace launched a review of HR practices following publication of the allegations.

Attribution

Directly implicated

On her podcast "Archetypes", Meghan said she had left "Deal or No Deal" because she felt reduced to the role of a "bimbo", valued for her appearance rather than her intelligence. Her remarks triggered a media controversy.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Personally implicated

The Netflix series "Harry & Meghan" devoted several hours to the couple's account of their conflict with the press and the royal institution. Meghan described the treatment she believed she had received from the media and her family, while the trailers and certain uses of archive footage themselves generated controversy.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

In her interview with Oprah Winfrey, Meghan stated that an unnamed member of the royal family had expressed concerns about her son's skin colour before his birth and that she had not received the support she needed during a serious personal crisis. The remarks triggered a worldwide institutional and media crisis.

State of the evidence

Disputed

Attribution

Personally implicated

Meghan sued Associated Newspapers after the Mail on Sunday published extracts from a private letter addressed to her father. The High Court ruled in her favour without a trial on the principal privacy and copyright issues, and the Court of Appeal upheld the decision in December 2021.

State of the evidence

Documented

During the appeal in her case against Associated Newspapers, emails from her former adviser Jason Knauf showed that he had provided information to the authors of "Finding Freedom" with Meghan's knowledge. She apologised to the court for not recalling those exchanges and for the misleading impression created by her earlier statement.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

Harry and Meghan were accused of hypocrisy for using private jets for holidays while publicly promoting environmental concerns. The episode fuelled a broader controversy over the discrepancy between their public messages and their travel habits.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated