Prince Harry, Meghan Markle Cash In Millions Of Dollars By Telling Their Side Of The Story, PR Expert Says

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle got urged to focus on philanthropy after damaging their brand by talking about their personal lives and making allegations against the royal family.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex celebrated their fifth wedding anniversary Friday. Experts weighed in on how they are doing three years after they stepped back from their royal duties.

Royal commentator Duncan Larcombe, and author of "Prince Harry: The Inside Story," told Fox News Digital that their "relationship with the British public has disappeared." He added that the Sussexes' so-called "truth bombs" about the monarchy and the royal family were viewed as "a betrayal" in the U.K., damaging themselves.

"That was widely interpreted in the U.K. as selling the family secrets – talking about the royal family in exchange for enormous amounts of money," Larcombe explained. "So, that's where their popularity, I think, started to plummet. The damage was done."

Doug Eldridge, the founder of Achilles PR, echoed the same sentiment to Fox News Digital.

"Objectively speaking, Harry and Meghan have cashed in – to the tune of tens of millions of dollars – just by telling their side of the story, and they have cried or laughed all the way to the bank," he told the outlet.

"The question is what comes next," he added. "Ultimately, Harry and Meghan have the resources and name recognition to pursue whichever path they choose. That said, if you're looking to have an impact and build a legacy, I would recommend philanthropy."

According to Eldridge, Prince Harry's mom, Princess Diana, was beloved not just for her role as the People's Princess but for her "tireless work across Africa." The expert believed the Sussexes could continue the Princess of Wales' work and start their legacy.

"Harry and Meghan could build on Diana's work and, in so doing, build something for themselves: a reputational house that no manner of huffing and puffing from the big bad critics will ever be blown down. You simply can't fake authenticity," he continued.

Meanwhile, British royal expert Hilary Fordwich was hoping that when the dust settled, Prince Harry and Markle could still benefit from it. She hoped they would return to serving the Commonwealth.

"Once things die down, no more docuseries, no more interviews, no more books," she said. "They could then quietly serve... the commonwealth as we all hoped they would."

Prince Harry and Markle served as President and Vice-President of the Queen's Commonwealth Trust when it was established in 2018. But they stepped down from these roles in early 2021.

The website underwent a digital makeover in February 2023, and the Sussexes were removed from the site after the changes were made, Sky News reported. The outlet noted that the snub followed the release of Prince Harry's memoir "Spare" and docuseries on Netflix where they made several allegations against the institution and the royal family.

In a previous interview, while promoting his book in January, Prince Harry said on ITV that he wanted a family, not an institution.

"I want a family, not an institution. ... They've shown absolutely no willingness to reconcile," he said. "I would like to get my father back. I would like to have my brother back."