Duchess Meghan is feeling ‘drained’ by the ‘professional separation’ rumors?

In recent days, there’s been a revival in some Sussex narratives. This happens whenever the Duke and Duchess of Sussex go through a quieter spell – Harry did his big international tour (NYC, London, Lesotho & South Africa) in late September and early October, and Meghan popped up at the Children’s Hospital gala around the same time, and they haven’t been seen much since then. Instead of simply understanding that Harry & Meghan are doing their own thing and prepping their projects behind-the-scenes, the British media has predictably decided to scream about how Harry and Meghan have “separated” and something something maybe Harry will come back to them! Add to all of that, the royalists have spent five years trying to convince everyone that Harry & Meghan have flopped professionally. Which brings me to this GB News piece, in which they claim to have a source close to Meghan.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s professional separation was executed due to the couple’s brand being perceived as “toxic”, according to a PR expert. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have undertaken multiple solo engagements across the last couple of months as part of a wider strategy. The Sussexes plan to have greater separation in their professional lives as they work on different projects.

Ed Coram James, a PR expert, claimed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s brands are stronger as individuals rather than as a couple. He said: “Since their marriage, Harry and Meghan have had a distinct brand. That brand is based on a duo. Call it ‘Harry and Meghan’, call it ‘the Sussexes’, call it whatever you like. The fact is that for years they have become synonymous with one another.”

“And, since the famous Oprah interview, in which they took a simmering disagreement between themselves and the rest of the Royal Family and essentially declared all-out-war, that brand has been steadily becoming more toxic and thus commercially untenable to the point where not that many major brands are going to be rushing to write them a large cheque based on their brand value. When combined, the Sussexes brand is, from a PR perspective, toxic. But, when separate, they have a genuine chance of creating an entirely separate brand, with completely different labels.”

However, this separation professionally has led to speculation regarding their marriage. Meghan has found these rumours draining according to an insider.

The source said: “She has really felt the strain in recent weeks, and with all the speculation surrounding her and Harry and their marriage. They haven’t done themselves any favours by doing so many separate events but this is what they have decided to do as it works best for them at the moment as a couple and they both feel they can shine at events that are close to their hearts.”

[From GB News]

Something I’ve noticed about people who actually like and support Meghan and Harry is that many of us actually welcomed a professional divergence. We’ve been hoping for Meghan to lean into her commercial instincts and make the money, while Harry can focus more on philanthropy. Like, a lot of us armchair PR/branding experts have been saying that’s what they should do for years. Which is probably why few of us are freaking out about whatever is going on in Archewell. So no, I don’t think Meghan feels any strain about this, nor do I believe that Brand Sussex is “toxic” or whatever. Besides which, all of this talk of “separation” and “strain” and “rumors of marriage trouble” is projection because of whatever the f–k is going on with William and Kate.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Cover Images.

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59 Responses to “Duchess Meghan is feeling ‘drained’ by the ‘professional separation’ rumors?”

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  1. sevenblue says:

    They just did an international tour looking very much in love. It is just pure projection like always. Only one couple looks separated whenever they appear in public.

    • girl_ninja says:

      Yup. It’s like they’re trying to transfer the Wails troubles onto Meg and Harry by osmosis.

      • Bamaborn says:

        Yeah, we can’t talk and write about the “REAL separation” and whatever the he!! else is going on.

      • Where'sMyTiara says:

        This is an article about WanK if you change the names.

        With the BM and the palaces, every accusation is a confession with them.
        They’re trying to DARVO their way out of the fact that WanK, and Fred & Gladys, chief representatives of the BRF, are a toxic brand now because of how widely they are disliked and what demonstrably horrible human beings they are.

        The true audience of this article is Team WanK & Team Seabiscuit.

    • Christine says:

      Agreed. I do not have the energy to pretend the deeply in love Sussexes need my defense.

      Will and Kate don’t get to slink in the background, hiding their completely busted marriage, while maligning Harry and Meghan’s marriage. Kick rocks, no one believes any of your bullshit. Enjoy hanging out with all the models at Earthshot, Willy, you big boy!

    • Friendly Crow says:

      Every accusation is a confession / projection.

      Anyway! I remember the 3 and 5 years well. (For kiddos) and during this time, my husband and I took turns going to events etc because the kiddos really did need one of us home with them at specific points of the day. Esp bedtime.

      I have absolutely no idea if this is the case. All I’m saying is that
      1- there are a million and one reasons to do solo events
      2- British press would never understand it being due to their children’s needs or anything else for that matter. Its always always “trouble in paradise”
      3- the British press can’t fathom not wanting every moment in the sun for yourself and no one else, every second of publicity, etc because their principles are so jealous of each other that they make demands like – go to the tennis club but don’t you dare hold a racquet! That will over shadow ME!
      4- bottom line. They can’t imagine someone saying – you go, love. I’m gonna stay with the kiddos tonight. And the other person being like – I love you. Ok. They can only imagine vicious fights and screaming matches about who is more popular and what that means.
      5- they are unhinged

      • Jais says:

        Yeah, my niece and nephew are 3 and 5 and it’s a cute age. Harry and Meghan are soaking up their kids while also working. They’re lucky to have a schedule where they can take turns and they’re prioritizing.

    • the Robinsons says:

      I believe the.BP.British.rags are.trump.supporters. I’m getting.redcoat, turncoat vibes here, with them.

      • lanne says:

        They are loud and proud trump supporters. They salivate over the idea of Trump deporting Harry, even though i don’t think that’s within his power. The Daily mail openly supported Hitler, and all the tabloiuds supported Brexit. The RF probably support Trump too–they just prefer to be quiet about it. The aristocracy is notoriously fascist–lots of them were Nazi supporters, and lots were also far right Brexiteers.

      • Charlene says:

        OH, for sure. The Meghan haters in the USA are almost all TRumpers. In the UK they watch and read the same right wing Murdoch press and even more than the USA does. The thing they all have in common is bigotry and racism.

    • kelleybelle says:

      Except for the cringe “I’m finished treatment” video.

  2. slippers4life says:

    Yup! As always, “the reverse happened…it’s the Wales’ who have separated.”

    • swaz says:

      THIS IS THE ARTICLE THEY WOULD WRITE IF THEY COULD ABOUT WILLIAM AND KATE 😜

    • StarWonderful says:

      That’s what all the Xmas drama is about, i.e. starting new traditions with the Middleton family, etc., and where Kate will be or not be JOINING her kids on the day/eve. This has all the markings of a separation and separation arrangments.

  3. Mab's A'Mabbin says:

    So they’re really talking about the two they have.

  4. HeatherC says:

    If by “drained” they mean “peaceful under a tree” then I’d buy that.

    There’s this obsession that the Sussexes must do everything together and it’s a little frightening.

    My SO and I don’t work together, our professions are completely separate, as were my parents, his parents, etc.

    Once they both left the company (The Firm) they both worked for, they got other jobs. I don’t see the problem. Then again, the BM needs to write about SOMETHING and assigning the Sussexes the traits of the Wails (broken marriage, etc) is lazy and easy.

    • Smart&Messy says:

      My husband and I started a business together, which is going great, but we both have our own projects too. It’s mostly my own need to not completely leave my own profession that I love. Plus, our daughters look at me more and more as an example as they grow, and it’s important to me that they see a mother’s separate goals and professional fullfillment as good things.
      So no, I absolutely don’t think it botherd Meghan that she is not just Harry’s sidekick. She has her own strengthes and goals, and I love that they lean into that.

  5. AlexandraS says:

    No one takes GB news seriously. They should not even be quoted and only use Harry/Meghan to bolster their failing UK enterprise. Its like quoting Marjorie Taylor Green.

    • Nerd says:

      Yes, GBNews is trash that fired people when they attacked a white woman but daily attack a woman of color because they obviously don’t see women of color as worthy of respect or fair treatment.

    • Where'sMyTiara says:

      GB News is to the UK what OANN is to the States.
      I laughed so hard when they made Piers one of their flagship programs. These channels are havens for the bottom feeders who wouldn’t know good journalism if it bit them.

  6. She has been harassed for years and I’m sure it’s draining for her.. I think they are doing the thing that works for them and that is doing most things separate just like the lazies when they did things. I’m sure she will get to a place where she won’t feel as drained and Harry will make sure that happens.

  7. GMH says:

    This is all to funny. H&M left the UK to separate from the toxic British press and do not engage with them. The tabs constantly troll them, hoping to pull them in to a squabble and validate the tabs importance. They are very disciplines and will not engage, so the tabs get more shrill.

    A simple business trip by zharry was just that and H&M will not rise to the bait. I doubt any of their friends will either, if they want to stay friends. Case closed.

    • Interested Gawker says:

      “hoping to pull them in to a squabble and validate the tabs importance.”

      This is why the BM were whining about the Sussexes ‘answering back’ THR rubbish in US Weekly to the point it was complained of in print. They wanted to ride their BS on the Sussex coattails into ‘proper’ American outlets like The NY Times but H&M/Archewell kept the BM BS in their gossipy lane.

    • Ginger says:

      Remember when the British press lost their minds when just Harry promoted his book? They were saying they were separated and that Meghan was ashamed of it. They bring these stories out at least once a year. The British press desperately want to talk about a separation but they don’t want to lose their palace sources so they change it to H&M.

      • Jais says:

        Exactly . They’re actually bringing these stories out more than once a year. It’s happening with a lot of frequency. Which just tells you all all you need to know about TOB and his wife. Bc it’s about them.

  8. lanne says:

    Oh, so things are really that dire for the Wales, huh? I imagine all the speculation about them after their Summer’s Eve video failed to do its work is terribly, terribly draining. It’s always projection for that bunch.

  9. Eurydice says:

    The royal life is so incredibly abnormal that the royal experts don’t know what to do when people outside of it do something totally normal. Harry and Meghan are no longer in lockstep service to the monarchy – they’re private citizens who can pursue their individual interests.

    • Amy Bee says:

      Exactly.

      • B says:

        What’s so funny about all this Eurydice is that Harry and Meghan ARE in lockstep together. They are co-owners of the Archewell Foundation and Archewell Productions. Every documentary Archewell has produced they both worked on. They do country visits together. There were high profile visits to Jamaica, Nigeria, and Columbia JUST THIS YEAR. Harry’s business trip had him going to a different state and 4 countries in a week and a half and during that time he was represented Archewell’s new Parent Network as well as HALO and Sentebale. Meghan’s cooking show and podcast will be produced under Archewell Productions. They are currently co-producing Meet Me by the Lake.

        Lol the Sussexes work and live together. Yet the British paps are telling people don’t believe your lying eyes the Sussexes are going their separate ways because they both continue to work with the organizations they were involved in before they met each other. At this point I just laugh at the misery of the rota. They chased away the golden geese and have to watch them grow richer and happier while they get sicker and poorer peddling lies fewer people believe every year.

      • Eurydice says:

        @B – what makes this extra ridiculous is that, at the same time the tabloids talk about H&M going their separate ways, they also insist that Harry is in thrall to Meghan and under thumb. So, which it?

  10. Dee(2) says:

    They haven’t done themselves any favors by appearing separately? Incredibly bizarre. Honestly if I never saw a couple do things separately, I would probably think not great things about their relationship. You can’t ever be alone? You don’t have your own interests that you always had? You don’t have any of your own friends if you want to hang out with? Applying my questions to another couple, I can see the projection.

    • Proud Mary says:

      Harry and Meghan did things separately as working royals. They were not always joined at the hip. The real question here is, why the continued obsession with this couple, when they have senior so-called working royals that they could be covering?

      • Nerd says:

        Exactly. They did more solo engagements for their own charities than they did together. They only went to engagements together when 1) it was Meghan’s first as a royal 2) it was a more formal or royal family engagement where all royals were or 3) it was a cause that they both supported like Heads Together. The women and families of the Grenfell Tower was Meghan’s solo engagement that she regularly did solo. The Vogue magazine photo shoot, the campaign for the clothing launch for Smart Works and her work with the animal shelter Mayhew were all successful causes that she also did solo. The same way that Harry continued to do his own solo engagements while they were in the UK.

        They made an actual announcement last year for the other couple that they were going to start doing solo engagements. William flew all the way to the US and announced Kate wasn’t coming because it was expected. They announced she wasn’t going to Singapore because she was expected. They announced last year that she wasn’t going to ES in Elon Musk’s home country because she was expected. Kate didn’t start doing her own engagements where she gave speeches until Meghan came along. So this is all projection of the other couple, not Harry and Meghan.

    • Christine says:

      Well said.

    • Walking the Walk says:

      Same. This is weird. I am sick of people thinking they have to be near each other at all times. Like good lord. they are both adults. They have their philanthropy as a couple and their other projects. Heck, Harry is a whole CEO isn’t he with some therapy app? Also, we never even hear until after the fact all of the work they do together anyway. For this reason it seems.

    • Becks1 says:

      Yup, if everything they did was 100% together, I would find it weird.

      They are adults with similar interests and life goals but they also have separate interests and focuses. So sometimes we see them together – Colombia, the bookstore opening – and sometimes we see them separately.

      I think its clear that Meghan didn’t go to NYC and Africa with Harry because she was home with the kids. and I think when ARO launches and Meghan is doing a lot of promo for that Harry will be home. they seem like the kind of parents who prioritize having one parent home as much as possible.

      For the waleses, thats called being “hands on” and is praised endlessly. 🤷‍♀️

  11. Amy Bee says:

    There’s a lot of projection and delusion in this piece. Anyway, aren’t Harry and Meghan supposed to be irrelevant?

  12. Nerd says:

    The fact is that Harry and Meghan have always managed to be a strong United married couple who were capable of doing individual work separate from each other. Most of Meghan’s work while in the UK was separate from Harry. He understandably attended his wife’s first royal engagement that was at KP when she was new to the UK and the role, other than that most of her engagements were separate from him because she has been doing this work since before she ever met him. She has been doing this work of speaking up and having a voice before she even graduated high school. They always write these articles that align more with the other brother and his wife than it does Harry and Meghan. Harry and Meghan didn’t create the brand of “Harry and Meghan” the media did and are obviously pressed because that. Rand they created isn’t giving them enough material to work with. All Harry and Meghan did was fall in love, get married and create a family. As a married couple they support each other publicly when they need to but their love and support for each other is always there regardless of if they are together or not.

  13. Nanea says:

    Why don’t they look into what happened with Big Blue?

    Or why the tax-dodging insolvents CM&MM are allowed back into the public sphere?

    Or… dunno?

    Just leave H&M alone!

    • ShazBot says:

      It is incredibly weird that the ring that NEVER left her finger publicly, no matter what kind of activity she was doing, is gone and there aren’t articles about it.

    • MsIam says:

      Well the press was insisting that William was supposedly worried about what happened to Meghan’s engagement ring when she wasn’t seen wearing it, so you’d think Kate not wearing her own ring would be a major curiosity. And yet nothing from the press, no ruminations from Sara Vile, no rumblings from Camel Toe, not a whisper from Maureen. But that family still claims they can’t control the press. Really bitch?

  14. Jais says:

    Yeah, I don’t agree that their brand together as a couple is toxic. Although, I do believe sections of the BM want that to be the case and say it over and over so much that they think it’s true. That said, they’re still going to do couple stuff and they’re going to do individual stuff. Like normal people do.

  15. Maxine Branch says:

    From all that I have seen and heard from the Sussexes, they are in it to win it as a couple. Harry mentioned in his book Spare that he and Meghan promised each other not to repeat the past with their family and I believe him. Harry mentioned in their engagement interview they would do some work separately, some together but they would always be together. The gutter press projects all of their ills including their hopes wishes and opinions on this couple and they are still standing. Even on his three continent advocacy work, Harry made a point of being filmed FaceTiming his family. As Harry has mentioned previously, the love he is surrounded by now is something he had never experienced before. The legacy this family is building for themselves and their kids should be applauded, not vilified as the gutter press is trying to do. The only toxicity I see is coming from that crumbling house of Windsor. Try as they will, Harry is not coming back, Meghan and Harry are ignoring the noise as they have been doing for years as they continue planning their future raising their children all while living their best lives.

  16. Vuyelwa Ncube says:

    The projection is so strong I wonder if they are discussing whether Wilnot and Kannot should divorce before he takes the throne.

  17. Hypocrisy says:

    I have never seen someone’s marriage literally under constant assault by the entire tabloid media of a single nation. Somedays it’s scary how many people lack any sense of humanity, what they continue to do to the Sussex’s is just pure evil and no one with any good in them whatsoever would continue choosing this hate as a career.

  18. Proud Mary says:

    Do you believe that Fox News has a “source close to Meghan?” Then you must be the same person who believes that GB News as a “source close to Meghan?”

  19. Tessa says:

    They did not declare “war” William did when he punched Harry, Kate did when she lunged at Meghan and even before when she let a lie about meghan stay in the media, Charles declared war when her refused them security and Camilla declared war, not objecting to the things Clarkson wrote about Meghan, and even before.

    • Nerd says:

      Yes, the part where this stranger to all of this had the audacity to say they had a “simmering disagreement with the royal family” when their issue with the royal family was and still is their complete failure in condemning racist attacks and threats on Harry, Meghan, Archie and Lilibet. They were and continue to have a problem with a family that has sided with and has joined in attacking them and their children with racist, misogynistic and hateful rhetoric to improve their own images. Disagreeing with racists or bigoted views or opinions isn’t having a “simmering disagreement”. That’s actually a very disrespectful way for him to describe what has happened. I’m tired of all of these people trying to gaslight us into thinking that what some people say or do isn’t centered on race.

  20. Aurora says:

    It’s no news that doing everything together doesn’t work out for the vast majority of couples. It also makes sense that, at the same time, both are adapting to fly solo and kind of miss the feeling of leaning on each other.
    Personally, I think that -in a way- their PR has dissappointed them and trauma bond or whatever background differences lie between them don’t necessarily bring out the best of each other when in public.

    • Julia says:

      I think you are taking an article from GB news much too seriously! Trauma bond’😳? I think they are lovely and natural together and love seeing their joint appearances. However, as a couple with two young children and different interests I can understand why they are also concentrating on solo projects!

    • Nerd says:

      They have successfully flown solo before meeting, after marriage while in the UK and since moving to the US. This PR person is talking about two people without any knowledge of the fact that most of their work has been solo, even while living in the UK. They have always been extremely confident and capable people separate and together. That hasn’t changed. As someone said up above, they told us from the beginning during their engagement interview that they will work together and separately, but their support for each other will always be there because their relationship comes first. We know that this is all lies and projection because one of the insults they experienced while in the UK was that she was too confident and spoke too well for a woman married into that family. She wasn’t supposed to be a fully formed woman with an opinion or a voice because that isn’t how things are done. We got the complaints because she closed her own car door during a SOLO engagement. They wrote insulting articles when a beautiful black woman sweetly joked with her that she “looked fat” with her pregnant belly during a SOLO engagement. They lost their minds when she went SOLO and visited the women and their families of Grenfell and the newly renovated space that the women of the Together Cookbook paid for through sales of their cookbook. They lied and said she left early when she went SOLO to the launch of the Smart Works collection. Them doing things solo during their marriage isn’t new for them and never will be because they are both competent and strong people individually and together.

  21. MsIam says:

    I’m sorry but did I imagine that I saw those successful visits to Nigeria and Colombia by Harry and Meghan this year? Crowds of people greeting them everywhere? And what about that polo match in Florida with them both looking rich and gorgeous? Did we really see that happen? The interview they did with Jane Pauley on the Parent Network? Did that look “toxic” to anyone? And I thought that Mark Borkowski, or whatever his name is, was the official world renowned PR expert on the Sussexes? Who is this Ed Coram James guy, how can I trust him, he’s not Mark!

  22. Anonymous says:

    They’ve always done events separately. The only difference is Harry going to NY and Africa. Alone. If he didn’t the tabs wouldn’t be saying they’re divorcing.

  23. Saucy&Sassy says:

    Okay, this article is funny. I doubt Meghan even knows what they’re saying because she isn’t following any of the bm and other tabloid media. That’s why they pay people to stay on top of all of that.

    I wonder if I’m supposed to wonder if it’s Bone Idle that follows all of the tabloid media.

  24. Lau says:

    I honestly don’t think that a source close to Meghan would ever talked to GB News but sure, Jan. It’s probably William again.

  25. Anonymous says:

    I do not know if someone close to the Sussexes is relaying info to the tabloids-but I did hear from the horses mouths that they would not be employing the tabloids to discuss any of their work or projects -we would get the info directly from their own sources which would come directly from them-no sources- I pray and hope everything is okay with the Sussex family-the evil barracudas are trying their best to give Archie and Lilibet genetic pain and suffering-Levin. Wooten. and Tina are the worst assholes on the planets-they care for noone especially the children of Harry and Meghan-causing upset and anger is their pedigree-this white mentality to hurt other people and their children is beyond being human-when these people write this garbage it would be best to not repeat it to prevent the spread of sources with no names- I pray for the entire Sussex family and may God keep them in his hands.