Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are facing a fresh wave of criticism. It comes after a damaging report in Variety, one of Hollywood’s most influential entertainment publications.
The report raises serious questions about the couple’s standing in Hollywood. It also questions their ongoing partnership with Netflix.
Royal family commentator Kevin O’Sullivan and royal biographer Angela Levin discussed the fallout on TalkTV. O’Sullivan described the couple as “toxic” and “pariahs” in Hollywood.
“No one will work with them. They got no money coming in now; their Hollywood dream has ended in disaster. It’s turned into a nightmare, hasn’t it?” the Daily Express quoted him as saying.
Levin agreed that things are not going according to plan for the couple. She suggested that Meghan did not reflect on her own role in her problems.
“The trouble with her is that she doesn’t ever try and look at herself…we all have to do that. If things go wrong, we have to think, what have we done wrong? What are we like?” Levin said.
“But, Meghan thinks she’s perfect. It’s always that she’s the most wonderful girl. She’s very clever, she’s very beautiful,” she added.
Levin also described an incident where she allegedly saw Meghan Markle upstage a pregnant friend during a hug. She suggested that the Duchess struggled to let others take the spotlight.
Variety report
The Variety report included several explosive claims. According to sources, Meghan considers Hollywood “her domain” and tends to talk over or redirect Harry’s thoughts during conversations.
The couple’s lawyer, Michael J. Kump, hit back at this claim. He called it a “misogynistic characterisation” of Meghan bossing her husband around. Prince Harry himself reportedly called the claim “categorically false”.
Another claim in the report alleged that Meghan would disappear for long stretches during Zoom calls with Netflix teams. Her team would reportedly later tell Netflix staff that she had been offended by something said during the meeting.
Meghan’s lawyer responded. According to him, the former Duchess works from home and is a mother to two young children aged 4 and 6. He claims her absences were due solely to her children entering the room unexpectedly.
The couple is said to have contacted lawyers over the Variety piece, according to the Daily Express. Levin noted that certain wording in the article was quickly changed.
“It’s funny and sad. But, it’s so quick that the wording was changed. It’s fascinating. They are concerned because, as you say, she hasn’t got much money. But, she’s probably got enough money to sort people out, and she won’t have it,” she said.
