‘Harry is very unlikely to come up with his own commercial project’: Duke of Sussex does not have Meghan’s ‘drive or ability’

A royal insider has claimed Prince Harry lacks entrepreneurial skills while his wife Meghan Markle has the “drive and ability” to turn her new business American Riviera Orchard into a success.

A royal insider has revealed why Meghan Markle is increasingly taking charge of her career without her husband Prince Harry following the launch of her new lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard.

The Duchess of Sussex unveiled her aspirational lifestyle brand with a brand-new social media account on March 15 and is expected to sell a range of cosmetics, homewares and décor items.

Royal author Tom Quinn said the couple have different approaches to their careers and that Harry lacked Meghan’s “drive” for success because he was born into royalty.

“Beyond writing another book, Harry is very unlikely to come up with his own commercial project,” he told the Daily Express on Saturday.

Prince Harry reportedly lacks his wife's "drive" for success. Picture by Chris Jackson/Getty Images.


Prince Harry reportedly lacks his wife’s “drive” for success. Picture by Chris Jackson/Getty Images.
Since leaving the royal family in January 2020 the couple have earned an estimated $100 million through commercial contracts with Netflix and Spotify and the proceeds of Harry’s tell-all memoir Spare.

However, Mr Quinn believes that aside from the Duke’s book, Harry has few ideas for ways to continue earning money to fund the couple’s lavish lifestyle.

“You only have to look at him in his various interviews to see that he probably just doesn’t have the drive or the ability – it’s the result of growing up in a world where other people do everything for you,” he said.

Meanwhile, Meghan was born into a middle-class family in the United States and worked various odd jobs in her twenties before securing full time acting work on the legal drama series Suits.

Meghan was a successful actress and influencer before marrying Prince Harry. Picture: Getty.
Meghan was a successful actress and influencer before marrying Prince Harry. Picture: Getty.

Prior to marrying Harry in 2018, the budding entrepreneur also operated a successful lifestyle blog The Tig, where Meghan shared fashion and lifestyle tips, which reportedly earned Markle about $80,000 a year on top of her $50,000 per-episode salary on Suits.

While the Sussexes have banked a fortune since stepping back from royal duties, the couple have a high burn rate of cash, including millions of dollars poured into Harry’s legal battles with Britain’s tabloid newspapers.

The Duke of Sussex is also suing the British Home Office for stripping Harry and Meghan of their taxpayer funded security, a battle that has raged on for four years and cost millions in legal bills.

Meanwhile, Harry and Meghan also have a mortgage and upkeep on their colossal $14.65 million ($22.5 million AUD) Montecito Estate.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle own a sprawling Montecito estate. Picture: Google Maps.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle own a sprawling Montecito estate. Picture: Google Maps.
Luckily for the Duke of Sussex, public relations experts have praised Meghan’s entrepreneurial skills, with PR insider Lynn Carratt telling the Mirror the Duchess’s new lifestyle brand has “serious potential”.

“Meghan has the potential to make a name for herself in the cosmetic industry,” she told the Mirror newspaper on Sunday.

“Love her or hate her, one thing you can say about her is that she looks good, she knows how to use the right creams and make-up to accentuate her features and make her skin look good.”