The low number of public appearances by the Duchess of Sussex throughout 2023 has been interpreted by a royal author as a sign she failed to land a project.
Royal commentator and writer Tom Bower noted that last year Meghan Markle was not in the spotlight as much as her husband Prince Harry.
As the Duke of Sussex promoted his controversial tell-all autobiography, attended the Coronation of King Charles in May, continued his legal battles and was front and centre in the Netflix’s Heart of Invictus docu-series, Meghan remained low key.
Mr Bower claimed to Closer magazine: “What’s interesting is most of last year she’s been pretty quiet – especially during Harry’s book launch.
“She was clearly building up to something but she couldn’t land it. She couldn’t land the big fish.”
Throughout 2023, several reports hinted the Duchess was working behind the scenes at a new launch – although nothing has been announced so far.
Speculation about her working future was fuelled by the news she enlisted Beverly Hills talent agency William Morris Endeavour, which reportedly counts among other clients actors Ben Affleck, Christian Bale and Whoopi Goldberg.
Last year Meghan seemingly focused on her charity work, carried out through the non-profit Archewell Foundation created with Harry in late 2020.
She also made a series of public appearances and was publicly acknowledged during award events for her work as a women’s rights advocate.
Nevertheless, the Duchess also kept the focus on her for-profit work, suggesting in November a few projects would be released within months.
Appearing at the Variety magazine’s Power of Women event in November, she said: “We have so many exciting things on the slate. I can’t wait until we can announce them. We’re just really proud of what we’re creating, and my husband is loving it too.”
The Duchess’ red carpet appearances and her attendance at a few major concerts alongside A-listers have led a PR expert to believe Meghan is trying to put herself “on show” for a specific type of people she wants as supporters and colleagues.
Mark Borkowski recently told the Guardian: “Look, if you’re appearing on red carpets and premieres, that means you’re putting yourself on show for the type of people who might cast you, book you, use you.”
However, he added: “The trouble is, all this high-ended stuff around the values that they portray, it hasn’t delivered for them.”
