Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
AFP News

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle started 2026 with what, according to insiders, they are calling a 'PR nightmare.' Their chief communications officer Meredith Maines stepped down after less than one year in the position – marking their 11th publicist departure in just five years.

The timing is particularly damaging as the couple simultaneously announced their separation from US-based PR agency Method Communications in late December 2025. A number of leading PR agencies have refused to work with the couple because of their unstable reputation and frequent scandals.

According to Celebrity reporter Rob Shutter on his Substack 'Naughty But Nice,' top American PR firms have outright rejected the Sussexes' accounts, with one agency representative stating they are 'difficult and, frankly, cheap. Kardashians and Beyoncé spend a fortune on PR; Harry and Meghan expect the same results for a fraction of the budget.'

The rejection of the large agencies highlights how serious the reputational problems of the two are. Industry experts estimate that top-tier PR representation for high-profile clients typically costs $150,000 to $300,000+ annually, whilst the Sussexes are reportedly unwilling to meet these market rates. Analysts opine that in the absence of professional advice, Harry and Meghan can only continue to lose audiences and hurt their business opportunities.

Why PR Firms Are Walking Away

Harry and Meghan are challenging clients as they have made a 'trigger-happy' engagement with the media, according to industry observers. A former staffer told Shutter: 'The job isn't hard because of the press. It's hard because of the principals.

Harry and Meghan are impossible to satisfy, and their expectations constantly shift.' Their propensity to file lawsuits, release aggressive comments, and criticize institutions publicly has given the impression of being unpredictable.

In January 2025, Harry secured an eight-figure settlement (estimated £17-20 million) from Rupert Murdoch's News Corp over phone hacking by The Sun and now-defunct News of the World spanning 1996-2011.

Meanwhile, an ongoing case against Daily Mail publisher Associated Newspapers Limited – involving unlawful information gathering allegations – is scheduled for trial in early 2026, with Harry joined by celebrities including Elton John and Elizabeth Hurley.

According to the reports, PR executives are afraid that representing the Sussexes would damage their credibility. A former publicist explained: 'A competent PR can survive bad headlines. They can't survive clients who won't listen or demand you push false narratives. That's the Sussex problem.'

According to one source, the couple was said to be 'liable to hit DEFCON 1 at any moment,' and this emphasized the possibility of any crisis at any time, forcing companies to deal with it. Royal biographer Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty Magazine, noted that staff departures suggest 'very short tenures before departing' and that 'the responsibilities they are expected to fulfil are not what they anticipated.' B

etween 2020 and 2024, approximately 18 employees reportedly departed from Archewell, Harry and Meghan's charitable foundation.

Spillover of Previous Scandals

The problems of the couple are caused by a sequence of high-profile scandals. Harry's memoir Spare (published January 2023) generated significant controversy, with revelations about his family relationships and drug use, whilst Meghan's podcast 'Archetypes' (2022) saw only one season commissioned despite being part of a $20 million Spotify deal.

The memoir Spare by Harry, and the frequent media appearances of Meghan, were the sources of new strains between the Royal Family and Harry, and the perceived contradictions of Meghan.

Their $100 million Netflix deal – initially signed in 2020 – reportedly lapsed in September 2025 after producing five shows with declining viewership. 'With Love, Meghan,' her lifestyle show, garnered only 25.5 million viewing hours and ranked No. 389 among Netflix's most-watched titles in the first half of 2025.

Spotify and Netflix packages, which were initially touted as revolutionary, were questioned due to the poor performance and cancellations. In June 2023, Spotify 'mutually agreed' to end its partnership with Archewell Audio after Meghan's 'Archetypes' podcast failed to meet productivity benchmarks.

Additionally, in June 2025, Harry and Meghan faced scrutiny for their silence regarding allegations against Tyler Perry, who had previously offered them refuge in his Montecito mansion during their early California years. Reports suggested their lack of public support damaged their reputation as advocates for social justice.

These episodes added to an account of unsteadiness and excessive publicity. According to PR experts, the Sussexes have not been able to find a balance between their need to stay private as well as seek influence globally, hence getting themselves exposed to hypocrisy allegations.

Commercial Implications

It has great commercial implications in the rejection of the leading PR firms. Liam Maguire, a London-based communications strategist, has been promoted to serve as the couple's interim lead communications director – a decision reflecting cost-cutting measures as they eliminate expensive American senior-level positions.

However, running their California-based operations from London creates significant challenges, including time zone differences and staff burnout risks. Harry and Meghan might struggle to get high-paying collaborations or restore their reputation without professional representation. The brands are becoming more mindful of the necessity to align with personalities that have polarizing responses.

According to sources, Method Communications – the PR agency hired in June 2025 to manage their business and charitable initiatives – declined to renew its contract, citing the couple's 'difficult' working environment. Analysts observe that the monetisation of the Sussexes as a celebrity will be determined by the credibility of the Sussexes. The existing PR gap casts doubts on their ability to continue with their business in media, philanthropy, and speaking.

A 'Bind' Going Into 2026

As the year 2026 starts, Harry and Meghan will have to deal with what is termed a 'bind'. The couple faces a convergence of crises: no major television or streaming deals in active development, mounting legal defence costs from ongoing litigation, and an internal communications apparatus reduced to part-time remote management from London.

In December 2025, reports indicated that Archewell Foundation had laid off most staff, retaining only two employees due to budget constraints. Their image issues have become such that even experienced PR practitioners are not ready to come in. This exposes the couple to more crises that would not have been alleviated by professional management.

Meanwhile, both Harry and Meghan face significant legal exposure: Harry's case against Associated Newspapers Limited goes to trial in early 2026, whilst Meghan continues managing fallout from her earlier privacy victory against the Mail on Sunday (won February 2021, upheld on appeal March 2021) – a case that cost Associated Newspapers nearly $630,000 in interim legal fees.

Observers caution that the Sussexes must be more careful in their actions; otherwise, they will become even more isolated. The dismissal of companies to represent them is not only a blow but an indicator of the distance their brand has dropped.

General Lessons in the PR of Celebrities

The situation involving the Sussexes has more general lessons regarding the instability of celebrity images. In a world where scrutiny is instant, even the most renowned personalities in the world will end up alone by the same people who are supposed to defend their image.

The couple's trajectory – from commanding $120 million in combined media deals (Netflix + Spotify) to complete industry rejection within 30 months – demonstrates how rapidly celebrity capital depreciates when expectation management fails.

In the case of Harry and Meghan, the issue is not just to restore their reputation, but to prove their consistency and restraint. Without these things, their efforts to rebuild can fail, with or without their reputation or resources.

It is not yet clear what will happen to the couple in the future. Financial projections suggest their Montecito mansion (purchased for $14.7 million in 2020) remains their primary asset, though carrying costs of approximately $1 million annually strain their resources without active media income.

Their stable following notwithstanding, the rejection of the leading PR agencies means that their way is going to be full of challenges. Their ability to recalibrate their strategy and win back their credibility will be a question of the definition of 2026.

To date, the PR nightmare of Harry and Meghan is a warning example of how easily the benevolent sentiment can pass and how hard it is to restore after the mistrust.

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