Prince Harry, Meghan Markle ‘Spare’ fallout threatens Hollywood future: experts

Could Prince Harry’s explosive memoir “Spare” hurt the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s chances of being a power couple in California? Several royal experts think so.

The 38-year-old, who lives in the coastal city of Montecito with his wife Meghan Markle and their two children, dished out another tell-all, which hit bookstores on Jan. 10. It sold 1.43 million copies during its first day on sale in the U.K., U.S., and Canada, making it the fastest-selling nonfiction book of all time, Guinness World Records shared.

But not so fast on the champagne popping, one royal expert warned. Kinsey Schofield, who is the host of the To Di For Daily podcast, told Fox News Digital that those within the couple’s circle in Hollywood may be wary of what they reveal out of fear the pair will publicly speak out once more.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex made their royal exit in 2020. They now reside in the coastal city of Montecito, California, with their son Archie and daughter Lilibet.
(Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

“I think ‘Spare’ and the [recent] Netflix documentary will ultimately hurt Harry and Meghan’s relationships with the Hollywood elite,” said Schofield.

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“Did intensely private Beyoncé give Meg permission to read a text message that she sent the duchess verbatim to millions of Netflix subscribers?” she shared. “I highly doubt it. Did Courteney Cox expect to one day be called out for ‘magic mushroom chocolates’ in ‘Spare?’ Does Gayle King enjoy being grilled by the internet when Harry tells ITV there isn’t a royal racist after Gayle appeared on morning television claiming that her friends, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, had receipts? They are putting people in uncomfortable situations.”

“While having Tyler Perry and Oprah in your corner is a huge help, I think most individuals don’t want to pick a side and would prefer to avoid the drama,” Schofield added.

Prince Harry shattered world records, selling a whopping 1.43 million copies during its first day on sale in the U.K., U.S. and Canada.
(Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

“Spare” exposes deeply personal details about Harry and the British royal family. The prince made damning allegations of a toxic relationship between the monarchy and the press, describing how family members would leak unflattering information about other members in exchange for positive coverage of themselves. He specifically singled out King Charles III’s wife, Camilla, accusing her of feeding private conversations to the media as she sought to rehabilitate her image after her longtime affair with his father.

Harry’s story is dominated by his rivalry with his elder brother Prince William, who is heir to the British throne, and the death of their mother, Princess Diana, in 1997. Harry, who was 12 at the time, described how then-Prince Charles broke the news of his mother’s accident but didn’t hug his son. Harry added that he and William both “begged” their father not to marry Camilla, worried she would become a “wicked stepmother.”

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The many claims in Harry’s book sparked nonstop headlines. Harry alleged that during an argument in 2019, William called Markle “difficult” and “rude,” then grabbed him by the collar and knocked him down. Harry said he suffered cuts and bruises from landing on a dog bowl. Harry also alleged that William and his now-wife Kate Middleton “howled with laughter” when he notoriously wore a Nazi uniform to a costume party.

In December, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex participated in a six-part Netflix docuseries titled ‘Harry & Meghan’.
(Netflix)

Buckingham Palace officials have declined to comment on any of the allegations made in Harry’s book. A spokesperson for the king didn’t immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. A spokesperson for Kensington Palace, which represents the Prince and Princess of Wales, told Fox News Digital it doesn’t have a comment. Allies of the royal family have pushed back on Harry’s claims, largely anonymously.

Royal author Christopher Andersen told Fox News Digital that despite the backlash “Spare” has received from defenders of the monarchy, there’s no denying its appeal. And he believes the offers to continue telling all will keep coming.

“‘Spare’ is unflinching in its depiction of William and Harry’s relationship — a tense love-hate bond I describe in my books ‘Brothers and Wives’ and ‘The King’ — and depicts Queen Camilla as nothing less than ‘a villain’ who has left ‘bodies in the streets,’” he explained. “At the same time, it’s interesting to see how the British tabloids have really gone on the attack. A lot of people may be sick of listening to Harry and Meghan whine, to be sure. But the notion that the Sussexes are somehow on the ropes is complete nonsense.”

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U.K. reporter Tom Bradby interviewed Prince Harry ahead of the release of ‘Spare’ for ITV.
(ITV)

“Regardless of what you think of them, they remain an enduring object of fascination in the U.S. and the U.K. — their ratings and book sales are undeniable proof of that,” Andersen continued. “The Sussexes remain quite popular on this side of the Atlantic. The lucrative offers will keep on coming, and so will the invitations. More than ever, Harry and Meghan sit atop America’s celebrity heap.”

“Spare” is the latest in a string of public pronouncements by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex since they quit royal life in 2020. At the time, they cited what they saw as the media’s racist treatment of the duchess and a lack of support from the palace.

Following their exit, the couple sat down with Oprah Winfrey for an interview that was viewed by 50 million people globally. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex spoke out again in a six-part Netflix documentary released last month.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s interview with Oprah Winfrey was viewed by nearly 50 million globally.
(Photo by Harpo Productions)

To promote the book, Harry appeared on ITV, CBS “60 Minutes,” “Good Morning America” and “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” Some had wondered if the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would make an appearance at the BAFTA Tea Party in Los Angeles. William, 40, has been president of BAFTA since 2010.

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“We confirm that categorically their attendance was not discussed whatsoever,” a spokesperson for BAFTA clarified to Fox News Digital. “The BAFTA Tea Party in LA is for those involved in this year’s film awards season, so film awards contenders and nominees.”

Andersen said if there’s any invite the Duke and Duchess of Sussex should be concerned about, it’s the one for Charles’ coronation in May.

Prince William and Kate Middleton are seen here attending BAFTA (British Academy Film and Television Awards) at Royal Albert Hall on February 02, 2020, in London, England.
(Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

“We already know they will have no official ceremonial role to play,” he said. “So even if they are grudgingly sent an invitation, Harry and Meghan may feel it’s simply not worth traveling to London simply to be shoved aside as they essentially were during Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral. Harry has spent his life in his brother’s shadow – he still carries deep emotional scars from being cast in the role of ‘the spare,’ and he wrote about that movingly in his book. Why would he subject himself and his family to more humiliation?”

Harry’s willingness to air out the Windsors’ dirty laundry on both sides of the Atlantic continues to spark sales. However, some royal experts are adamant that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will need to find new ways to stay relevant in California. Royal commentator Hilary Fordwich reminded Fox News Digital that following the couple’s interview with Winfrey in 2021, Michelle Obama told Access Hollywood: “My hope is that, when I think about what they’re going through, I think about the importance of family and I just pray that there is forgiveness and there is clarity and love and resolve at some point in time. Because there’s nothing more important than family.”

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“Americans, with an absence of royalty on their shores, are renowned for treasuring family,” Fordwich explained. “Britons value family too and certainly the recent outpouring for the late Queen Elizabeth II demonstrated the love for the royal family. In America, there was a time when family for recent immigrants was one of the few things they had. So family is especially treasured.”

During his interview with Anderson Cooper for ‘60 Minutes,’ Prince Harry talked about his drug use, seeing Princess Diana’s crash photos and his stepmother’s status.
(CBS Photo Archive)

So was digging up old skeletons for a reported $20 million advance worth it? Fordwich doesn’t believe so.

“Perhaps Michelle Obama’s sentiments regarding Harry and Meghan’s brutal break from the royal family speaks volumes for the sentiments of many Americans,” she shared. “A-listers or not, another question is, would anyone want a family member disclosing intimate details publicly, such as in ‘Spare,’ regarding their own family?”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.