In a year already packed with royal scandals and celebrity meltdowns, 2026 has delivered what many are calling the most talked-about financial downfall in Hollywood: the spectacular implosion of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s multi-million-dollar empire.
Veteran royal commentator Tom Bower and outspoken broadcaster Piers Morgan have been sounding the alarm for years, and now their predictions appear to be unfolding in real time.
According to the pair, the once-glittering $100 million Netflix deal that was supposed to launch the Sussexes into billionaire status has instead become a cautionary tale of betrayal, overhyping, and commercial failure.
What started as a fairy-tale exit from royal duties has allegedly devolved into mounting debts, unsold inventory, and a desperate scramble for relevance.
The numbers tell a damning story.
Back in 2020, headlines screamed about the Sussexes’ lucrative Netflix pact worth a reported $100 million.
But as Tom Bower detailed in interviews, that figure was never the cash windfall it seemed.
A significant portion allegedly went straight into funding the As Ever lifestyle brand – manufacturing, shipping, branding, and warehousing costs that Netflix reportedly covered upfront.
Bower, who claims to have spoken with industry insiders during his research, estimates that after production expenses for documentaries, hefty US taxes, and other deductions, the couple’s actual take-home pay was a fraction of the headline-grabbing sum.
“They found one story in my entire near 10-year tenure which they thought may on the balance of probability possibly have been gained from unlawful means,” Morgan quipped, highlighting the couple’s selective outrage while painting a picture of a brand built on shaky foundations.
At the heart of the controversy lies As Ever, Meghan’s much-hyped lifestyle venture originally announced as American Riviera Orchard.
The brand promised an authentic glimpse into the Montecito lifestyle: strawberry jam made from berries picked in her own garden with children Archie and Lilibet nearby, lovingly stirred on the family hob.
But Bower’s investigations paint a starkly different reality.
He tracked the manufacturing to commercial facilities in the American Midwest – Ohio and Illinois – far from any home kitchen idyll.
Jars were sourced from external suppliers, and volumes reportedly never matched the scarcity marketing that suggested overwhelming demand.
“The jam which was meant to be strawberries picked in her garden… In fact, it is a spread manufactured in Ohio, Illinois,” Bower revealed, accusing the branding of being more story than substance.
The fallout has been brutal.
Reports from outlets like The Daily Beast and Tom Sykes detail hundreds of thousands of unsold products allegedly sitting in warehouses past their shelf life: over 100,000 fruit spread gift sets, tens of thousands of marmalade jars, flower sprinkles, and candles.
A website glitch reportedly exposed real-time stock levels, shocking observers with the scale of overproduction.
Piers Morgan seized on viral customer complaints, including candles arriving without wicks and smelling “cheap as chips.” In one widely circulated clip, a buyer opened a box only to find the product defective yet again.
Sales figures from a 48-hour window in January reportedly showed only double-digit units moved – a catastrophic result for a brand backed by Netflix muscle.
Netflix’s exit has only accelerated the crisis.
The streaming giant reportedly wound down its broader brand partnership and canceled the lifestyle series “With Love, Meghan” without fanfare.
Publicly available data shows the show never cracked the global weekly Top 10, with Season 2 viewership allegedly languishing in the low millions and ranking as low as 383rd on internal charTS. Morgan mocked it mercilessly: “Meghan Markle is playing to an audience of no one.” Bower echoed the sentiment, arguing that Meghan lacks the on-camera warmth needed for a successful lifestyle host.
“There is no audience for Meghan Markle in many ways,” he stated bluntly.
The couple’s pivot from royal duties to privacy-seeking California life now looks like a strategic miscalculation, especially given their high-profile deals with Spotify (which also reportedly ended) and Harry’s bestselling memoir Spare, which earned him around $20 million.
The cost of their Montecito lifestyle is eye-watering.
Security alone, which the couple insists is necessary, runs between $1.5 and $2 million annually.
Add staff, mortgage upkeep, legal fees, and other expenses, and Bower conservatively estimates annual outgoings at $3 million – requiring $4-5 million in earnings just to break even.
“The cost of living for them is enormous,” he emphasized.
With income streams drying up and As Ever inventory tying up capital, whispers of financial desperation have grown louder.
Morgan has repeatedly used the word “grifters” to describe the couple, accusing them of trading on royal titles while criticizing the institution that granted them.
One of the wildest details involves actor and producer Tyler Perry.
When Harry and Meghan first arrived in the US, Perry generously offered them his Beverly Hills property and security – a lifeline for a couple who barely knew him.
But according to a 2026 Globe magazine report citing sources close to Perry, the relationship has allegedly cooled, with claims of an unrepaid multi-million-dollar loan and difficulty reaching the Sussexes.
Neither party has publicly confirmed this, but Morgan used it to question how a couple flush with Netflix, Spotify, and book money could struggle to settle such a debt.
Bower ties it to broader patterns: alleged estrangement from Meghan’s father Thomas Markle and first husband Trevor Engelson, whom he describes as being cut off once no longer useful.
International ventures have fared little better.
Trips to Colombia and Nigeria reportedly left organizers frustrated over insufficient charitable contributions and unmaterialized promises, such as an Invictus Games location.
Bower has questioned the authenticity of these “royal tours” by non-working royals, while Morgan highlighted perceived hypocrisy.
Closer to home, public filings show Archewell’s charitable donations declining sharply between 2021 and 2024 alongside staff cuTS. Even a high-ticket Sydney event priced at around $3,000 drew Morgan’s one-word verdict: “desperation.” Trademark filings in Australia suggest brand expansion attempts, but Bower wonders why a US market that rejected the products would embrace them Down Under.
The personal toll appears equally steep.
Bower portrays Meghan as “ruthless, narcissistic, and determined to succeed” yet lacking original talent or warmth.
He repeats claims of Queen Camilla suggesting Harry had been “brainwashed” into a grievance machine.
Morgan has lambasted the couple’s authenticity, pointing to a Netflix crew allegedly filming during a grief-stricken moment at Windsor.
“I don’t believe there’s anything authentic about those two at all,” he declared.
The Sussexes’ pattern of high-profile interviews, podcasts, and speeches now contrasts sharply with their vow of privacy, fueling accusations of hypocrisy.
Critics draw parallels to Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, suggesting Meghan may be following the “Fergie path” of monetizing royal connections post-exit.
Harry, meanwhile, faces scrutiny over his own contradictions – authoring a tell-all that exposed family secrets while pursuing legal action against the press for similar tactics.
Bower and Morgan argue the couple is paying the price of betrayal, not just to the royals but to friends, family, and now commercial partners.
As Netflix walks away and As Ever struggles with cohesion – “random bits of products… nothing makes sense” – the Sussexes’ future looks precarious.
Bower predicts they may eventually seek reconciliation with the British royals for validation, though he calls it a remote possibility.
Morgan sees a downward spiral driven by overambition and limited appeal.
Whether the couple can reinvent themselves or if the empire fully collapses remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the $100 million dream has turned into a very public nightmare.
The revelations from Bower and Morgan have ignited fierce debate online.
Supporters decry the criticism as unfair targeting, while detractors point to the numbers as undeniable proof of mismanagement.
Unsold inventory with expiry dates creates a ticking clock, and with major platforms distancing themselves, new revenue avenues seem limited.
Industry hesitancy, exemplified by actor Jack Quaid’s awkward non-answer about a potential project, only adds fuel.
In the end, the Sussex story is one of ambition meeting reality.
What began as a bold bid for independence has allegedly become a cautionary tale of inflated expectations, questionable branding, and mounting pressures.
As Tom Bower and Piers Morgan continue their commentary, the world watches to see if Harry and Meghan can salvage their empire – or if this is the beginning of the end.
The Montecito mansion’s lights may still shine brightly, but behind the gates, the financial cracks are widening.
Only time will tell if the couple can turn the tide or if the betrayal narrative they’ve woven will ultimately ensnare them.
