Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Future "Looks Rather Bleak" and Very "Expensive," Royal Historian Claims

"They’re going to disappear like so many other celebrities."

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry in London
(Image credit: Getty Images/AFP PHOTO/POOL/Dominic Lipinski)

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry appear to be having a successful 2024 to date. The couple just wrapped up their royal tour of Colombia, during which Meghan revealed their daughter Princess Lilibet has "found her voice." However, in the wake of the royal tour, some critics have questioned Meghan and Harry's motives, and suggested there may be trouble ahead for the Sussexes.

According to the Express, royal historian Hugo Vickers spoke about Meghan and Harry on The Times' The Royals With Roya and Kate podcast. Discussing the changes that have taken place in Prince Harry's life, Vickers said, "It’s very difficult because he is part of an extraordinary institution and then suddenly he’s cut free from that, he’s gone off on his own, it’s a brave step into an unknown world."

Vickers also questioned Meghan and Harry's long term plan now that they live in the United States. "What worries me is that I think, whenever I see images of Range Rovers and things coming to the airport and security people, that’s jolly expensive," he explained. "And they’ve got to keep moving the whole time to finance this life. And I’ve been to Montecito, and that’s pretty and lush and expensive, too."

Meghan Markle wearing a green and white drop-waist dress in Colombia August 2024

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry visited Colombia in August 2024.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

During his podcast appearance, Vickers also suggested that Meghan and Harry may face some challenges in the future. "Unless they keep coming up with new initiatives and new goods, they’re going to disappear like so many other celebrities," he claimed. "Once that happens I think the future is going to look rather bleak."

Of course, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have made their aims perfectly clear, thanks to their recent royal tour. While visiting Colombia, Meghan spoke about the importance of online personal safety, and the couple met "smart and savvy" students at a charter school. Aside from some minor criticisms from royal experts and historians, Meghan and Harry seem to be working hard to make positive changes in the world. Fans of the couple will be extremely excited to see whatever the Sussexes do next.

Amy Mackelden
Contributing Editor

Amy Mackelden is a contributing editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.