Did Oprah interview cement Harry and Meghan's status as American A-listers? Here is what's next for royal couple
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's interview with Oprah Winfrey shocked the world. The accusations of racism and mistreatment have shaken the Palace to its core and sparked debates about the monarchy and its beliefs.
But now, with the bombshell interview behind them, have Prince Harry and Meghan cemented their celebrity status in America? The sit-down interview drew more than 17 million viewers in its live broadcast on CBS on March 7. A TikTok video shared on the CBS News account on the social networking site amassed more than 19.1M plays. From this, it could be deduced that there is significant interest in the couple's life. After moving to America, could they move to A-list status?
Here's what is next for the royal couple.
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Netflix and Spotify deals
In September 2020, reports started doing the rounds that Prince Harry and Meghan had launched a production company, which will be based at Netflix and that they had signed a multi-year deal with the streaming giant for scripted series, docu-series, documentaries, features and children’s programming. "Our focus will be on creating content that informs but also gives hope," the couple had said in a statement. "As new parents, making inspirational family programming is also important to us." They had added that Netflix’s "unprecedented reach will help us share impactful content that unlocks action".
In launching a company and signing a big deal with Netflix after leaving royal life, Prince Harry and Meghan mirror the move made by President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama after leaving the White House. The Sussexes' Netflix deal was reportedly worth £112 million, which is approximately over $155 million.
On the other hand, in December 2020, they signed a Spotify deal which also raked in millions of dollars. Having struck an exclusive podcast partnership with Spotify, Prince Harry and Meghan will, according to reports, produce audio programming via their company Archewell Audio as part of the multi-year partnership. “What we love about podcasting is that it reminds all of us to take a moment and to really listen, to connect to one another without distraction. With the challenges of 2020, there has never been a more important time to do so, because when we hear each other, and hear each other’s stories, we are reminded of how interconnected we all are,” they had said in a joint statement. The deal was reported to be £18 million, which is approximately $25 million. Yet again, the royal couple followed in the footsteps of the Obamas' Higher Ground Productions.
Public speaking
They reportedly signed with LA's biggest public speaking agencies Harry Walker. The high-profile agency also represents Barack and Michelle Obama, who have made millions of dollars through lucrative public speaking engagements over the years. Just like the Netflix deals, this happens to be yet another move of the Obamas mimicked by the royal couple.
At the time, Vanity Fair had reported that Harry Walker agency, which prides itself on hosting live events and VIP meet and greets, could have the same on the cards for the royal couple. Meghan’s biographer Andrew Morton had described them as the "hottest ticket in Hollywood" and said, "Meghan and Harry can’t live on fresh air".
The author of 'Meghan: A Hollywood Princess' had said, "The glamour of royalty is worth a lot of money and the big hitters will pay big money for an appearance with Harry and Meghan. Members of royalty have charged to appear at public functions in the past. The Duke and Duchess of Windsor famously attended functions for a fee."
The focus of their speeches and/or appearances would center around the building blocks of their new organization Archewell -- community, racial justice, gender equality, and mental health. "They have signed with the Harry Walker agency and they will be doing public talks but these will be about issues that are important to them," said a source close to them at the time. "It’s not going to be them discussing life in the royal family."
Public service
Prince Harry had famously told 'The Late Late Show' host James Corden during his appearance earlier this month, "My life is public service, so wherever I am in the world, it’s always going to be the same thing." The 17-minute-long segment was aired a week and a half after the Oprah interview was first announced. During his appearance on the show, Prince Harry and Corden rode around Los Angeles atop a double-decker bus and spoke casually.
Just one week before this, Buckingham Palace had announced that Prince Harry and Meghan would officially not be returning as working royals. The video with Corden raked in clicks with over 20 million views at the time of writing this article.