Meghan Markle and Prince Harry warned by expert brands are ‘very tainted’

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been warned their brands have become “very tainted” but an expert in the field has explained how the couple can return them to success. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been on the end of a furious backlash after claims they made against the Royal Family – first in their Netflix documentary series and then four weeks later by Harry in his tell-all memoir, Spare. Recently, they were dealt a huge blow after their £15 million deal with Spotify was mutually ended, with just one series (12 episodes) of Meghan’s podcast Archetypes being released on the streaming platform. Hours after the end of that deal was announced, a top Spotify executive launched a furious outburst against the Susseces on his own podcast, branding them “grifters”. Royal author Pauline Maclaran, professor of marketing and consumer research at Royal Holloway University in London, warned Harry and Meghan’s brands have taken a battering in the midst of all the recent chaos. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been warned their brands are ‘very tainted’ (Image: GETTY) She told Daily Express US: “I have previously said the Archewell brand was getting completely smothered by their own “personality brands” and I think we have definitely seen that. “The whole furore around the Netflix documentary series but particularly Harry’s memoir, I see that as a more defining moment. “At least the Netflix documentary was about them whereas Spare was really about Harry. That became very much an individual focus on Harry who was basically complaining about his royal life “It was an amazing best-seller but it didn’t do them as a couple any favours.” When asked where the Sussexes now stand in terms of their brands, what has happened to the Archewell brand, and if they need to “revive” that, Professor Maclaran replied: “They certainly do. The Sussexes appeared alongside each other in a clip for their Archewell Foundation (Image: rtyouthpoer.org) “Their brands are not quite non-existent, but they are certainly very tainted, and we can definitely say that. They will be thinking what is the role of their individual brands and how are they going to fit Archewell in. “It is like a triangle – the Harry brand, the Meghan brand, and their co-branding strategy which is supposedly Archewell Productions, and how all of those are going to fit together. Public perceptions are really not clear about this at all.” But the royal, brand and marketing expert praised Harry for returning to their brand’s “core values” with his next big project with Netflix . The prince’s own Heart of Invictus documentary is due to hit the streaming platform this month, while it has also been reported he could travel to Africa at a later point to film another documentary. She continued: “I feel they are taking stock now and what we see possibly emerging would be going back to their core brand values where Harry – because he has clearly become this individual brand through spare – that he is going on with his Heart of Invictus series for Netflix . Meghan and Harry will attend the Invictus Games in Germany next month (Image: GETTY) “That sounds to me to be very positive because that is going back to what Harry is good at and what he is known for and not knocking the royals. “It is something very consistent with their idea of being a humanitarian brand – the Archewell connection. That now needs to be emphasised. Professor Maclaran added: “A way forward for Harry would be focusing on the Invictus side of things – humanitarian work in effect, which Princess Diana was so successful with. “That would be a very consistent image for him to have and one that gives value so people can relate to that. It is the best of Harry and if he goes back to that, he is likely to have some success.” On Wednesday, a smiling Meghan and Harry returned to the spotlight together for the first time in nearly three months when they appeared in a new Archewell Foundation video. Meghan Markle – a career timeline (Image: EXPRESS) The Sussexes are founding members of their foundation, and the beaming couple are seen in the video congratulating winners of the Youth Power Fund in a phone call. Next month, the couple will also travel to Germany for the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf. The duchess will moderate a “very emotional” farewell show for families and competitors on the final day, while the prince will give the closing speech, according to German newspaper, Rheinische Post. Follow our social media accounts here on facebook.com/ExpressUSNews and @expressusnews