When the Duke and Duchess of Sus𝓈ℯ𝓍 moved to California, their supporters touted them as a new power couple, akin to George and Amal Clooney, who attended their wedding, but with a royal twist. Comparisons were even drawn to Barack and Michelle Obama, whose lucrative ventures into books and podcasts the Sus𝓈ℯ𝓍es hoped to mirror.

However, recent developments reveal that this dream may be in jeopardy, as Prince Harry and Meghan are now pursuing divergent career paths. This shift in strategy prompts a look back at their arrival in America, where their ambition to leverage their collective influence became apparent.

Upon landing in Los Angeles, Harry referred to their journey as a “freedom flight” from Canada during the Covid pandemic in 2020, signaling the beginning of their quest for independence and success.

While living in a mansion generously lent to them by American TV star Tyler Perry – whom Harry admitted he did not know – the pair started plotting how they would establish themselves as a new force in the US.

They set up Archewell, a mixture of for-profit and not-for-profit business organisations, registered in tax-friendly Delaware, that they hoped would help give them the same sort of status as that which former US presidents including Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary derived from the foundations they had established.

Then came the crucial business of cashing in on their royal connections as a couple. They did this by signing multi-million-dollar deals with media titans Netflix and Spotify.

Making clear that audio giant Spotify had signed them as a pair, both Harry and Meghan appeared on the pilot episode of their podcast. A string of famous guests, including Sir Elton John, James Corden and Tyler Perry, were enlisted in an attempt to demonstrate their ability to attract big names.

Three months later, they sat down for their explosive television interview with their Santa Barbara neighbour Oprah Winfrey. Following Meghan’s claims in the interview that the future Princess of Wales had made her cry, and her allegations of racism among unnamed senior Windsors, the sofa chat caused a devastating rift with the Royal Family. It also alienated millions of people who had previously been sympathetic to Harry and Meghan.

The negative reaction to the interview may have been the turning point, when the first seeds of doubt crept in about the wisdom of their ‘power couple’ strategy. They had, however, signed a deal with Netflix for a rumoured $100million, so still went ahead with their tawdry ‘docuseries’ or reality show, Harry & Meghan, which was broadcast the following year.

By the time their first series of podcasts was released by Spotify the same year, poor Harry’s voice had been silenced. Instead, the dozen episodes of the series, Archetypes, were presented exclusively by Meghan.

The former actress had, apparently, decided that she deserved top billing. Fat lot of good it did her, though.

The couple’s series for Spotify became both their first and last, as the platform announced in 2023 that it had ended its deal with them. Adding insult to injury, Spotify executive Bill Simmons referred to them as “f***ing grifters” and mocked Harry’s attempts to contribute podcast ideas.

Meghan’s solo series set the tone for their future careers. She opted to promote his memoirs independently, a book that further antagonized the royals and their supporters globally. Their upcoming Netflix projects are also separate: Meghan has filmed a cookery and lifestyle show set to air next year, while Harry is working on a program about polo, his favorite sport.

Recently, Harry visited New York alone, engaging in charitable activities linked to his late mother, Princess Diana—events that would likely have interested Meghan. His demeanor has noticeably shifted; he appeared more relaxed than during their previous visit, which ended in chaos with allegations of a “high-speed car chase” involving paparazzi, claims denied by the police.

Contrasting his current smiles with the frowns he wore during a recent trip to Colombia with Meghan, sources in California suggest that Meghan believes their interests are better served by pursuing separate careers.

“They will still carry out some charitable engagements together and embark on foreign visits, but their work projects will be separate,” the source stated. This decision may indicate Meghan’s belief in her own star power, allowing Harry the freedom to focus on reconciling with his family during visits that are likely to become more frequent and longer.