Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle may have a new plan for their US future, former royal butler Paul Burrell has suggested.
Paul, who was the late Princess Diana’s butler for 10 years, said that their plans may involve a new direction where Meghan, 43, is the public face of their ventures while Harry, 40, takes a backseat role.
As the couple navigates their life in Montecito, California, it appears they have set their sights on carving out a new identity within the Hollywood world – one where Meghan may become a major media personality, while Harry takes on a more passive role.
Prince Harry ‘can sit back’ if Meghan Markle’s Netflix show is a success
According to Paul, Meghan’s upcoming Netflix show will be a defining moment in her career. It’ll see her give cooking, crafting and gardening tips as she’s joined by celebrity guests across the eight episodes.
With Love, Meghan was originally set to air on January 15. However, due to the California wildfires – the premiere has been delayed until March 4.
Speaking to Royal Insider on behalf of Prime Casino, Paul said: “This Netflix show, which will be aired now in March, I think will go ahead. I think she’ll be judged by that, but let’s not forget, she’s an actress. She can act this role, but she can fall back on those acting skills.”
That could be their plan. Meghan could be the public face of this company, but Harry sits back and babysits.
He expressed doubt over whether Meghan could truly evolve into a “Martha Stewart” figure without substantial support behind the scenes.
He added: “If it does take off, it will lead into a lifestyle brand, a branding exercise of Martha Stewart sort of dimensions.
“If she becomes a phenomenon, Harry can sit back, he can pretend to be Prince of Bel-Air, Prince of Montecito, and do what he does best, play polo, whilst he sends his wife out to work to earn the millions.
“That could be their plan. Meghan could be the public face of this company, but Harry sits back and babysits.”
He added that Harry would likely be “very happy” in such a scenario.
Prince Harry ‘used to being a royal prince’ and ‘letting everyone do it for him’
The former butler emphasised that Harry’s life has largely been one of privilege, where he didn’t have to work the traditional 9-to-5 grind.
Paul said: “All his life, Harry has had that world of sitting back and letting everyone else do it for him. He’s not used to going out to work, 9 to 5 or to stick to a schedule of work.
“He’s used to being a royal prince and royal princes actually dictate, they don’t get the game dictated to them.”
For Harry, transitioning into Hollywood where others set the pace has not been easy.
“It’s usually the other way around, so that can’t have been easy, whereas Meghan’s used to that world,” Paul explained.
Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, is the wife of King Charles III’s youngest son Prince Harry.
Meghan Markle was born on August 4, 1981, in California, United States. She is currently 43 years old. She had a career in acting before marrying into the royal family in 2018.
What did Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex do before joining the monarchy?
Former actress Meghan had a string of acting roles before she met Prince Harry, most famously playing the role of Rachel Zane in legal drama Suits.
Her acting career began at Northwestern University.
The duchess also wrote a lifestyle blog named The Tig and became heavily involved in charity work – which has continued since she met Harry.
Marrying Prince Harry
Meghan married into the royal family on May 19, 2018, when she and Prince Harry tied the knot at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.
Just a few months after their wedding, Meghan and Harry announced they were expecting their first child. They welcomed Prince Archie on May 6, 2019.
Two years later on June 4, 2021, the couple welcomed a daughter named Princess Lilibet. She was named after the late Queen Elizabeth II – whose nickname was Lilibet.
Months after welcoming son Archie, Prince Harry and Meghan announced they were stepping down from their senior royal roles within the royal family. They then moved to the United States and have lived there since.
Meghan has made a return to the entertainment world, launching projects with Netflix alongside Harry. In January 2025, she announced a lifestyle show named With Love, Meghan, which will see her giving cooking and gardening tips to viewers alongside a host of celebrity guests. It will premiere on March 4, 2025.
He also believes that Meghan, having experience in the entertainment industry, is well-equipped to thrive in this environment. However, he reminded audiences that they are not ordinary individuals.
“We’re talking about a royal prince and a duchess whose children are princes and princesses. This isn’t an ordinary family,” he stated. “They can always fall back on their USP, which is being royal, but isn’t that a contradiction of everything they stand for? Because that’s the one thing they’re running away from.”
Prince Harry has no ‘time for reconciliation’ with royal family
Meanwhile, Paul also discussed the strained relationship between Harry and his family.
When asked about the possibility of reconciliation with Prince William and the royal family, he expressed little hope.
“No, I don’t think there’s any time for reconciliation,” Paul told us. “What William can see is what I can see – that he’s focused on different things now. Harry’s focused on a different direction, and he doesn’t really care about what wreckage he leaves behind.”
