Prince Harry’s ‘Spare’ curse hits Hollywood as royal drifts in Meghan Markle’s shadow: experts

Prince Harry’s so-called "Spare" curse, royal experts say, seems to have followed the Duke of Sussex to Hollywood.

Multiple royal watchers have claimed the prince has struggled to move beyond the fallout of his dramatic exit from royal life six years ago, citing professional setbacks and lingering personal tensions. Harry's nuclear tell-all, published in 2023, has also kept him estranged from his family.

Meanwhile, the experts point to Meghan Markle’s expanding business pursuits in California, where the Duchess of Sussex has focused on building an entrepreneurial empire in her home state.

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"Prince Harry has essentially traded one hierarchy for another," Kinsey Schofield, host of YouTube’s "Kinsey Schofield Unfiltered," claimed to Fox News Digital.

"In the royal family, he was the spare to Prince William," she shared. "In Hollywood, he risks becoming the supporting character to Meghan Markle’s ambitions. The entertainment industry rewards relevance, star power and personal branding."

"Meghan has consistently demonstrated a clearer strategy and stronger command of that ecosystem," said Schofield. "Harry, by contrast, has struggled to define a role beyond being ‘Prince Harry,’ which leaves him vulnerable to fading into the background."

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Schofield said Harry’s move to California was meant to represent "freedom and reinvention." However, the 41-year-old royal has struggled to carve out his own identity beyond airing grievances, she added.

"California seems to have left Harry unmoored," she said. "He is far from his family, his military community and the institutional structure that once gave him direction. While he enjoys the privileges of wealth and privacy, there is a visible lack of grounding. To the public, he appears less settled than solid."

Schofield’s comments came just days after a Hollywood insider told Page Six that Harry appeared to pull off a whiplash-worthy shift — going from fighting back tears in London’s High Court over alleged privacy violations to mingling with Hollywood’s elite alongside Markle at the Sundance Film Festival.

"For Harry to go from the hearing — and pleading for privacy — to then go to Sundance just days after is nuts," the insider told the outlet.

The source pointed out that during this testimony in court, Harry accused British tabloids of making his wife’s life "absolute misery."

Fox News Digital reached out to Archewell for comment.

The father of two has previously said his late mother, Princess Diana, would have "wanted" him to start a new life in America. Royal experts, however, say that decision has come at a steep personal and professional cost.

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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back as senior royals in 2020, citing intense intrusions by the British press and a lack of support from the palace.

After moving to the wealthy coastal enclave of Montecito, California, they aired their grievances in interviews and documentaries. Harry’s 2023 memoir, "Spare," which revealed private details about the royal family, further strained relations with the palace.

Today, Harry and his older brother, Prince William, remain estranged, royal experts say. He is also reportedly distant from his father, King Charles III.

Harry has publicly defended his decision to write "Spare," saying he was sharing his truth and that his conscience is clear about telling his story.

Schofield said "Spare" continues to haunt Harry, adding that the memoir has left the duke adrift in California, with little sense of purpose beyond his work with the Invictus Games.

"The irony is that by naming and monetizing the wound, he has reinforced it," she said. "The grievance has become his brand. Instead of transcending the role of ‘spare,’ he continues to orbit it. In Hollywood, where perception is everything, that narrative risks defining him permanently."

"Meghan is operating with intention, more than Harry is. She is building lifestyle ventures, media projects, and positioning herself as a modern influencer and entrepreneur. Harry, meanwhile, feels reactive. Meghan is at least trying to create lanes. Harry is trying to find one. That contrast is becoming more noticeable as their professional paths diverge."

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Page Six reported that the multimillion-dollar deals Harry and Meghan struck with some of Hollywood’s biggest power players have quietly unraveled, raising fresh questions about his long-term prospects in California.

"He simply looked silly in a cameo role in Meghan’s ill-fated cookery series," royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams said, referring to the "Suits" alum’s Netflix show "With Love, Meghan," which reportedly will not return for a third season.

"He also suffered a major setback when he lost the charity Sentebale, which he co-founded in his mother’s memory," Fitzwilliams said. "He and Meghan are also resented by the British press for their criticism of the royal family. Their brand is known worldwide, yet so far, they have struggled to gain traction as A-listers in Hollywood."

British royals expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital that many who know Harry believe he misses his closest friends in England.

"I would not be surprised to see him return, even if only for a short time each year," she said. "But any return would be personal in nature, as there is no foreseeable scenario in which he resumes royal duties — particularly given how strongly Prince William opposes it.

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"The shock value from the royal family’s more lurid revelations has faded. Harry remains trapped in the past. Anything tied to the royals will always draw some interest, which actually underscores how difficult things are for Harry and Meghan, as even their titles no longer seem enough to attract audiences to lackluster projects."

"I don’t see a major comeback for Harry — certainly not while he leans into a victim narrative," Fordwich continued. 

"Meghan is embracing Hollywood, while Harry has effectively become her ‘spare.’ He still struggles with the spotlight, making him less marketable on his own. And as his ongoing legal battles against the media in the U.K. show, he’s leaning into victimhood — a stance that isn’t appealing in Hollywood, leaving him more of a supporting act."

An unnamed source echoed that sentiment in comments to Page Six.

"Harry’s not really doing anything in America," the source told the outlet. "It seems he’s still very wrapped up in the past."

"I think Harry’s banking on speaking engagements for income right now."

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The report noted that Harry’s local friends are mostly people he’s met through Meghan, aside from his longtime friend, Argentine polo player Nacho Figueras. They are frequently seen at the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club.

Royal experts insist it’s not too late for Harry to get his life back on track — but only if he returns to the role he knows best.

"His best pivot would be toward Africa — or leaning more into Invictus, where he always appears most engaged," Fordwich said.

"Meghan understands how to package a narrative and build a brand," Schofield said. "Harry has yet to prove he can do the same without relying on royal controversy. The public appetite for grievance-driven storytelling has cooled.

"If there’s a comeback, it will require reinvention — less victim narrative, more tangible purpose. Right now, the Sussex brand feels stalled, and Harry appears caught between royal identity and celebrity ambition."

"Harry stands at a crossroads," Schofield reflected. "He can continue chasing relevance through proximity to controversy, or he can build an identity rooted in service, philanthropy and genuine leadership. The latter would require humility and patience — qualities Hollywood doesn’t reward quickly. But it’s the only path that offers long-term credibility."