Harry and Meghan branded ‘unpopular kids in school’

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It’s amazing how a few years have changed people’s thoughts about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

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The couple, who were quite popular when their relationship first began in 2016, have increasingly lost the interest of royal fans.

Experts weighed in on how quitting their roles as working royals and moving to Montecito, Calif., kick-started the feelings of unfavourability.

“I give a lot of talks to Americans, and they all dislike Harry and Meghan,” Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty magazine and author of the royal biography My Mother & I,” told the Standard.

“They hate that they let the Queen down.”

Their interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021 added fuel to the fire.

To Di For Daily podcast host Kinsey Schofield also told the publication that Eric Trump had “the right idea” when he recently declared “Americans don’t care about Harry.”

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She said: “We lost interest in Harry and Meghan after realizing we had given them way too much credit over the years.”

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Hollywood publicist Jane Owen noted that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex “are definitely not doing well in L.A.’s social scene.”

Owen explained: “Quite frankly, they were given every opportunity to shine in Hollywood. They had a huge deal at a top streaming network with a massive budget and an audience eager to listen and watch. They have done worse than nothing — they have actively destroyed the opportunities they were given.”

She continued: “I’ve always said Hollywood could be compared to high school in terms of how people behave, and to use that analogy, they’ve become the most unpopular kids in school.”

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Harry and Meghan lost their $20-million deal with Spotify last year.

One Spotify boss, Bill Simmons, called the couple “f***ing grifters” after they were dropped from the streaming giant following reports they did not meet “productivity requirements.”

The pair only produced 12 episodes of the podcast Archetypes, which was hosted by Meghan and co-produced with Harry.

“Harry and Meghan’s clout has taken a hit over the past year,” Stacy Jones, founder of L.A. marketing agency, Hollywood Branded, told the Standard.

“Hollywood operates on trust — trust that a project will deliver, that a partnership will be beneficial and that public perception will remain positive.”

She noted: “Losing the Spotify deal in 2023 lingered into 2024, and without a major win this year, they’ve struggled to regain their footing. However, access isn’t the issue for Harry and Meghan — it’s enthusiasm.”

Jones added: “They’re not going to struggle to get a table at a top restaurant and their presence will always generate buzz at events, but Hollywood’s excitement about them has cooled compared to their early days.”

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