What Will Happen To Harry & Meghan When Prince William Is King?

Since the day Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Dutchess of Sussex, announced on Instagram they were stepping back from royal duties in 2020, an announcement colloquially called "Megxit," they have been in a bad spot with the royal family. They now have brand deals and multiple Netflix shows, and this pursuit of money, according to royal expert Peter Hunt, is not compatible with the House of Windsor and the monarchy's brand. It would be, he says in the documentary "Harry & Megan: The Great Divide" (via Real Royalty), a case of the California couple "having their cake and eating it" too. 

The couple now lives in California with their two children, Archie and Lilibet, and has apparently been excluded and sidelined from multiple royal family events. This includes being snubbed from balcony appearances, outright not being invited to Christmas getaways with the rest of the royal family, and Harry even being left on read when he asks about his father's health, as the king was diagnosed with cancer in 2024. "He has tried to reach out about the king's health," an anonymous friend of Harry told People, "but those calls go unanswered too." 

Meanwhile, the world is closely following updates on the British monarch's health. Despite Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice insisting King Charles III is doing well, sources told InTouch in early 2024 that he only has a couple of years to live, which means the reign of Prince William may be just around the corner. The two brothers, though, have apparently not been on the best terms for several years; there have been glaring red flags in William and Harry's relationship from long before Meghan's inclusion into the family. Harry has been candid about their rifts, especially in interviews, his memoir "Spare," and his Netflix series with Meghan. So, how will Harry and Meghan's lives change once William becomes king?

It is not a stretch to assume that Prince William must be fuming at Prince Harry's allegations of him laughing at his panic attacks, hitting him, and calling Meghan Markle "rude" in his book "Spare." But this isn't the only reason the Sussexes might not be invited to key royal events under William's reign; he is known to favor a "slimmed-down" royal structure, which means he prioritizes those actively involved in public duties, per the Daily Mail. Also, the future king might follow the lead of King Charles III and Queen Elizabeth II, who have been discretionary over royal titles. Monarchs grant, adjust, or withhold titles according to tradition or public opinion, otherwise, the institution's dignity could dissipate, and William may exercise these rights without warning.

A viral example was Prince Andrew's legal troubles after being accused of sexual abuse by the then-underage sex trafficking victim Virginia Giuffre at convicted felon Jeffrey Epstein's private island. Elizabeth, his own mother, removed his honorary military roles and required him to stop officially using "His Royal Highness," a style that Harry and Meghan don't use anymore either, despite still using their Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles. If William decides to soften his relationship with his brother — whether for a genuine personal interest or as a PR move — he could assign the Sussexes ceremonial roles to maintain public unity. 

Still, even in that unlikely case, the Sussexes might not be interested. Knowing that his brother would be king, Harry still chose to spill about their falling-outs. Also, him and Meghan stepping back from their royal duties wasn't an impulsive decision. Elizabeth gave them one full year to reconsider their plans before they made the final decision, and Harry and Meghan still decided to leave. 

Public opinion must be closely watched by the monarchy, as it might influence how included or excluded Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will be in the future. According to a 2024 poll, less than 30% of the British public favored the Runaway Royals (via IPSOS), so it's no surprise that neither King Charles and Queen Camilla nor William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales attended the christening of the Sussexes' daughter Lilibet the year before, despite People reporting that both couples had been invited to the event. However, prior to their departure announcement in 2019, the Sussexes enjoyed relatively high favorability ratings in the United Kingdom, and who's to say they won't be able to rehabilitate their image with time? After all, William will likely be king for three to five decades if he lives as long as his grandfather Prince Phillip, and the British public sentiment toward Harry and Meghan and the monarchy might change during those years. 

For instance, Queen Camilla used to be hated and vilified in the 1990s for being Charles' "other woman," but she slowly rehabilitated her image through her dedication to charitable causes such as literacy, domestic violence, and osteoporosis awareness, to the point that in 2024, half of the U.K. viewed her favorably, per Statista. Some outlets, including News24, claimed that in 2023 she was not only accepted but even adulated.

As they aren't working royals anymore, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle don't receive financial support from the royal family. However, multiple sources of income have been flowing in since their royal departure in 2020. Their Netflix series "Harry & Meghan" and the books they have both written are some examples. When William becomes king, they may continue writing books and producing documentaries, series, or podcasts about their stories or issues they are passionate about, such as women's labor rights, mental health, and veterans' issues. They've already scored partnerships with major companies like Netflix and Spotify, so it won't be much of a challenge for the now-financially-independent couple. 

Keynote speeches are another profitable activity for them. According to The Sunday Times, they could earn up to $1 million per speech after signing with the Harry Walker Agency. Harry also delivered a keynote for BetterUp after being named its chief impact officer, a job with a yearly salary as high as $2.5 million, per the Mirror. And even if they do not receive a salary for it, they will still be directors of Archewell Inc., a nonprofit named after their son Archie, through which they can keep fighting for causes they believe in.

Also, Meghan could come back to acting any day! She had just wrapped her role as Rachel Zane on the hit TV show "Suits" in 2017 when she announced she was transitioning out of acting and assured the public she was not "giving anything up." She told BBC News, "I just see it as a change. It's a new chapter." William becoming king could also provide the Sussexes with more financial stability. It means King Charles III will have passed, which possibly means more inheritance money besides the millions of pounds Harry has already inherited from Princess Diana and the Queen Mother.

Just as rifts in Prince Harry's family have deepened these past years, so have the ones in Meghan Markle's. However, the couple's move to California did strengthen their bond with the duchess' mother, Doria Ragland — the only family member from Meghan's side to attend their wedding. She lives near the couple and is involved in raising their children, per the Daily Mail. As opposed to Meghan's half-siblings Samantha Markle and Thomas Markle Jr., Ragland has not spoken negatively about her daughter. Even if Samantha and Thomas Jr. reach out to Meghan to reconcile in the future, it seems unlikely that this will happen, given that their estrangement stems from personal and public betrayals, regardless of who is king and of any changes in the couple's lifestyle.

Meghan's father, Thomas Markle, is not an option, either. Not only has Thomas publicly spoken ill about Meghan and made their rifts public, but he is allegedly close to the end of his life. In 2024, Samantha told the Daily Mail that he has had two heart attacks and a stroke. "We don't know how long he has," she said. She also called out Meghan for not reaching out, despite it all, since before her wedding in 2018. "Meghan has no idea what she is missing out on," she went on, "because when my dad goes, it will be too late. Believe me, I know. You can't get back that time. It leaves a hole in your heart. ... She will never be able to look in the mirror."

So, when William is king, the only immediate family member close to the Sussex couple will likely be Doria, a consistent source of support.

The royal family's approach to  Prince Harry and Meghan Markle when Prince William ascends to the throne will likely reflect broader concerns about the monarchy's image and its ability to maintain neutrality. So, even if William and Harry reach reconciliation and want to be back in each other's lives, the former could be perceived as acknowledging that there is some merit to the Sussexes' racism allegations, accusations of the future king of physically assaulting Harry, and his claim that Queen Camilla is "dangerous" on "60 Minutes." 

So, would healing his relationship with his brother be worth a reputational nightmare for William? Considering the history between the two, probably not. Additionally, Harry and Meghan have a celebrity-style approach to life: Hollywood deals, personal interviews, and Netflix shows, which clashes with the traditional, duty-first ethos of the royal family — one focused on public service. Keeping their distance from the couple, and, in turn, from the drama, is a way of communicating to the people that they are focused on their formal functions, such as charity work.

Still, the royal family is aware of past situations where family drama made headlines in every corner of the globe. Edward VIII's marriage to Wallis Simpson nearly caused a constitutional crisis, and it was his exile that allowed George VI to rebuild stability. Similarly, Princess Diana's transparency and candidness about the royal family during her divorce changed the family's reputation forever. Harry and Meghan are now part of this "rogue" group of figures who disrupt its image, so carefully curated for generations. This not only means that they most likely will never be back in the palace, but that their relationship with their family might never heal, as just an invitation to a family function can raise eyebrows.