Harry and Meghan's Latest Tours Has Got Everyone Thinking They're 'Going Separate Ways'

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had been inseparable until recently when the exiled royals began making solo appearances. The Duke of Sussex embarked on a three-week work-related tour without his wife, fueling speculation that the couple may be going their 'separate ways' to build their personal brands.

Royal commentator Phil Dampier told The Sun that Markle may have been missing from the public eye but she's hard at work behind the scenes. Dampier told the outlet's royal editor, Matt Wilkinson, "I think she is genuinely probably doing a lot of work in the background for this project with Netflix and this American Riviera Orchard. I think that's the thing that she's focusing on." He noted that she has been facing some trademark issues regarding the brand and is "going through some legal battles." So she's seeking a bit of a "hiatus" to launch the brand in peace.

"As for Harry," said Dampier, "He's been back and forth with a few charities." So definitely, the couple is going "their separate ways" professionally. However, there's no evidence so far that "they're splitting up at the moment personally. I think we all have our doubts whether the marriage will last 10, 20, 30 years." Though he admitted that, currently, their plans are a bit blurry, they'll become known to the public real soon. For now, as far as their businesses and charitable pursuits are concerned, the couple "do seem to be going their separate ways." 

So, did separation have any positive impact on their professional lives? Well, for Harry, things are looking "tremendously well," according to royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams. He told GB News, "[Harry] hasn't given any interviews. Perhaps something is being planned that we are unaware of," but all his events during the recent trips to New York, London, and Lesotho are likely to boost his approval ratings as a solo leader. 

However, for Markle, the business prospects are in a bad state. Tina Brown, the royal biographer, told OK! Magazine that the Duchess is a "perfectionist." In her substack, Brown said Markle's entrepreneurial failures are a reflection of her professionalism, "Her issue is that she doesn't listen. She does what she wants to do. And all of her ideas are total c---, unfortunately." 

This includes her brand American Riviera Orchard, "Unfortunately, she made every mistake in the book," Brown opined. The former Suits star launched her jams in March but the luxury brand hit a roadblock and the much-awaited product has yet to reach the retailers before they could build customers.

But the professional setbacks don't mean it is affecting the couple's personal equation. A Sussexe's confidante said, "It is normal for couples to not do everything together," urging, "It's not a bad thing to have a quiet period from them, is it? Sometimes a bit of a rest is needed."