Royal commentator Kinsey Schofield has urged Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to “disappear professionally” after their latest business venture flopped.
Schofield, host of YouTube’s “Kinsey Schofield Unfiltered,” said exclusively that the Duke, 41, and Duchess, 45, need to dramatically scale back their public announcements and focus on executing one quality project. The advice comes after “Cookie Queens,” the couple’s first theatrical feature as executive producers, collapsed at the box office following its Aug. 7 release.
“I would tell them to disappear professionally for a little while, dramatically reduce the number of announcements, and identify one genuinely compelling project with experienced people around them who know how to execute it,” Schofield said.
“Reputation recovery is possible, but I don’t think it comes from another rebrand or another glossy publicity campaign,” she continued. “I would recommend the opposite. Less talking, fewer announcements and more execution.”
Schofield emphasized that tangible success trumps messaging in Hollywood. “Success is one of the most effective reputation-management strategies in Hollywood. Make something undeniable and suddenly the conversation changes.”
The commentator pointed to Markle’s scattered entrepreneurial track record as part of the problem. The former actress has pursued podcasting, her Netflix cooking show “With Love, Meghan,” and her As Ever lifestyle brand in rapid succession. Her Spotify deal, which reportedly paid the couple $20 million, ended in 2023 after just one season of “Archetypes.” Netflix also terminated its partnership with her in March.
“When you try to establish authority in every category simultaneously, you can end up establishing authority in none of them,” Schofield observed. “Pick a lane, become good at it and allow success to rebuild credibility.”
She pushed the couple to stop leveraging their fame as the primary selling point. “They need to stop treating their celebrity as the product and start creating products strong enough to survive without their celebrity.”
Schofield also counseled the Sussexes to cede creative control to seasoned professionals. “Get out of the way,” she said, and avoid inserting themselves into project decisions. She additionally noted that their entertainment work needs to break free from royal family drama as its central hook.
“There are only so many times you can tell audiences why you left the royal family,” she explained. “If they want longevity in entertainment, they have to prove people are interested in their taste, ideas and storytelling when the monarchy isn’t the hook.”
Schofield drew a connection between their professional struggles and recent reports of attempted reconciliation with King Charles. “I also don’t think it’s a coincidence that we’re seeing renewed efforts toward reconciliation with King Charles at a moment when Harry and Meghan need to rebuild their credibility,” she added. “I suspect that they understand that their fractured relationship with the royal family has become a professional liability.”
In the viral moment that triggered Schofield’s intervention, “Cookie Queens” — a documentary following four young Girl Scouts through cookie-selling season — opened at No. 15 with just $735 per screen, according to Boxoffice Pro. The film has since grossed only $513,148 domestically, per The Numbers. Despite the dismal returns, Markle and Harry appeared publicly unfazed, attending a gala celebrating the 40th anniversary of David Foster’s foundation in Canada earlier this month. Markle wore Princess Diana’s diamond and sapphire earrings for the red carpet appearance.