Prince Harry and Meghan Markle “need to earn a living” to survive, unlike their Royal counterparts in the UK, a pro-Sussex source claims, following accusations of hypocrisy.
The defense of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex comes after the release of a report by their own charity, The Archewell Foundation, which stated that young people worldwide desire role models who aren’t primarily “driven by profit.”
The document also criticized “inauthentic” online influencers and claimed that “true leadership is not about money or followers.”
The findings come after the couple faced significant criticism over their financial situation.
Critics of Meghan and Harry have highlighted that their contracts with Netflix and Spotify, signed since 2020, are worth at least $120 million (£90 million).
Meghan has also revived her Instagram account, using it to promote her Netflix shows and As Ever lifestyle brand.
She denies that she is an influencer and identifies herself as an “entrepreneur and a female founder”.
Through profitable speaking engagements and other high-paying business roles, the couple has been able to live in a $14 million Montecito mansion with their two young children.
A Sussex insider defended the couple’s need to earn income, saying, ‘That they have to make money is a moot point’, adding pointedly: ‘We all do, unless you’re a member of the institution (the Royal Family)’.
An unnamed supporter of the couple insisted that their financial independence has enabled them to donate substantial amounts to charity compared to the average person over the past five years.
A source close to the Sussexes has suggested that since their departure from Royal duties, the couple has evolved into a global “activist-driven brand” much like Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, as they use profits to fuel their philanthropic endeavors.
This Archewell Foundation report features interviews with over 100 young people in the US, UK, Australia, and Canada aged ten to 25, who were asked to discuss what it means to grow up in the digital era.
The interviewees said they felt fatigued over the perceived inauthenticity of influencer culture.
According to the Insight Report published by Archewell on 20 November, those interviewed desire role models who are driven by causes they care about, rather than being ‘driven by profit’.
The report states, “Across geographies, youth describe influencers as ‘performative’, ‘inauthentic’ and ‘profit-motivated’. Meaningful voices are often drowned out by harmful or shallow content.”
Newsweek’s royal correspondent Jack Royston said the Sussexes’ “pivot to authenticity” presents a significant issue, and leaved them vulnerable to accusations of hypocrisy.
He noted that Archewell’s findings “chime with numerous major criticisms of the couple throughout their post-royal lives.”
He wrote, “The findings are striking but make difficult reading alongside the facts of the first five years of Harry and Meghan’s US lives, which saw them sign multimillion-dollar deals for content creation.”
A source close to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex has come forward to defend the couple and their intentions.
The insider explained that the couple’s decision to amass wealth following their departure from Royal duties, known as Megxit, has granted them financial independence from the Royal Family and enabled them to donate a “disproportionate amount of their wealth” to charitable causes.
They added, “To paint all young people as if they would take issue with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for earning money is an oversimplified view of who they are as individuals and what I believe that report is attempting to convey,” said the source, described by Newsweek as being ‘sympathetic to the Sussex position’.
“Young people, when it comes to the brands and things they associate with or feel connected to, are largely driven by activism. That’s why young people love Ben and Jerry’s. That’s why they love Patagonia.”
“It’s why young people are drawn to activist-driven brands. If you consider Harry and Meghan as an activist-driven brand, which I would argue they are, they focus on showing up, doing good, and donating a disproportionate amount of their wealth compared to the average person to worthy causes.”
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.the-express.com ’
