Signs Harry and Meghan losing US as popularity bombs and stars turn their backs
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have long enjoyed broad popularity in the United States – but there are signs that even on the other side of the Atlantic the headline-grabbing couple are beginning to see their stars wane.
When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle bailed out of their royal duties in the UK and started a new life in California, they quickly became household celebrities.
As well as getting primetime interviews with Oprah Winfrey, they rubbed shoulders with A-listers in Hollywood and built up a following of fans.
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But there are now indications their brand in the US has taken a bit of a knock following their ongoing criticism of the wider Royal Family, reports the Mirror.
According to a poll conducted for Newsweek last month, Harry is disliked by 42% of Americans, compared with 32% who say they like him, giving him a net approval rating of -10.
In a brutal episode of South Park shown last month, the Sussexes were the butt of a range of jokes, with one source saying that Meghan was “upset and overwhelmed” by the show that portrayed the fictional “Prince and Princess of Canada”.
The couple even felt compelled to issue a statement denying that they were planning to sue the programme.
Meanwhile, despite the close ties that Harry and Meghan have with the likes of Oprah and Ellen DeGeneres, there are also signs that some TV stars are turning on the couple.
Anchor Megyn Kelly sounded more like Piers Morgan in a recent rant against the Duke and Duchess, labelling them “pathetic money-grubbing spotlight addicts”.
And as Harry continues to make allegations against his family back in the UK – including against his dad King Charles and his brother Prince William – there are signs the endless attacks are making people weary.
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His memoir Spare flew off the shelves, but podcast host Emily Jashinsky told Kelly: "I think interest in them is really waning … People are actually like, ‘What are you talking about? You're insulting this country, you're insulting decent human beings and you're trying to make money and profit off of all of it’."
She added: “I think people are absolutely sick of it to the extent that I actually don't know how much longer they'll really be able to monetise this at the scale that they were originally, because I don't think there's much interest or an appetite for lionising them.”
Even some fellow celebrities have begun to turn on Harry and Meghan. Chris Rock has mocked their claims that the Royal Family were racist while Hollywood star Rebel Wilson said Meghan wasn’t as "naturally warm" as Harry.
It all points towards a slide in popularity for the royal pair, and PR expert Matt Yanofsky told the Mirror that the plaster had now been “ripped off” when it comes to mocking the couple.
“South Park is a show that is grandfathered into pop culture. Nobody is cancelling it, and it has a history of saying what everyone thinks but is scared to say," he said.
“By satirising the couple, they've given other people permission to finally say what they think about Meghan and Harry, as we saw similarly with Chris Rock's stand-up special.
“Meghan and Harry are no longer untouchable in the US.”
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