Meghan Markle Prince Harry's Milestones Since Leaving Royal Family
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It’s been over three years since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made the difficult decision to take a step back as senior members of the royal family. And whether we understand the decision now, the news came as a total shock to longtime royal fans. In the time since, however, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have built a life together in Montecito, where they’re raising their two children, son Archie and daughter Lilibet.
For all the scrutiny that Harry and Markle have to endure, it’s easy to forget the couple is using their platform as a way to reach out to others through their work in public service. From building their Archewell Foundation in 2020 to the small ways the couple gives back, Harry and Meghan continue to work and find ways to leave a positive impact on the world and create a better future for their children.
Recently, for example, Harry won his long-winded trial against the Mirror Group Newspapers claiming the publisher acquired information unlawfully between 1991 and 2011. It’s achievements like these, and major occasions like the NAACP awards or the couple’s trip to New York City where Meghan and Harry are using the spotlight that’s been thrust upon them for some good. So, what else have Meghan and Harry done and/or accomplished over the past two years since leaving the United Kingdom? Take a look through this gallery to learn more.
A version of this article was originally published in May 2022.
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Meghan Released Her First Product for ARO
Meghan Markle made headlines when her friends got to try her first product for her blog, American Riviera Orchard: some strawberry preserves!
Weren’t Afraid of PDA at a Florida Polo Match
While filming for their new Netflix polo show, they were smooching it up at the Royal Salute Polo Challenge held at the Grand Champions Polo Club in Wellington, Florida on April 12, via People.
Announced 2 New Shows
Deadline revealed that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are creating two new nonfiction series that are in the “early stages” of production at Netflix that are about cooking, gardening, and professional polo.
Launched Her New Blog
In March 2024, Meghan Markle launched her new blog, American Riviera Orchard, which will be a home and wellness blog.
Did a Keynote Speech for SXSW
On March 2024, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex was a keynote speaker for the Breaking Barriers, Shaping Narratives: How Women Lead On and Off the Screen panel during the 2024 SXSW Conference.
Won a Case Against the Mirror Group Newspapers
On Dec. 12, 2023, Prince Harry and his lawyers won the months-long case against Mirror Group Newspapers, aka the publishers of The Mirror, Sunday Mirror, and more. Among the accusations made by the royal are that the publisher, from years of 1991 to 2011, acquired information in unlawful ways such as phone-hacking and wire-tapping.
“I hope that the court’s finding will serve as a warning to all media organizations who have employed these practices and then similarly lied about it,” Harry’s lawyer David Sherbourne said in a statement outside the courthouse. “My commitment to seeing this case through is based on my belief in our need and collective right to a free and honest press. The mission continues.”
Congratulations to Harry for the big win!
The 2023 Invictus Games
One of Harry’s most enduring passions has been the work he does through the Invictus Games, a global event that helps wounded service members and veterans heal through sports. In its 2023 competition, Harry and his team organized the event in Düsseldorf, Germany. Of course, Meghan was right by her husband’s side during the competition.
Released ‘Heart of Invictus’
As part of Harry and Meghan’s multi-million dollar Netflix deal, Harry produced and starred an in-depth documentary of his passion project, the Invictus Games. The documentary, titled the Heart of Invictus, was released today on the platform. Per the series description, the docuseries follows six people as they prepare and complete in the 2022 Invictus Games.
Their Reported $100 Million Deal With Netflix
While things have been a bit rough for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in 2023, their multi-million dollar deal with Netflix is still standing firm.”We value our partnership with Archewell Productions,” a Netflix spokesperson recently told People. “Harry & Meghan was Netflix’s biggest documentary debut ever, and we’ll continue to work together on a number of projects, including the upcoming documentary series Heart of Invictus.”
Another Netflix project of theirs, the animated children’s series Pearl, was sadly cut in May 2022.
They Award the First-Ever Responsible Technology Youth Power Fund Recipients
In a heartfelt video of the Sussexes calling each grant recipient one by one, Harry and Meghan officially awarded the recipients of the Responsible Technology Youth Power Fund. Speaking to one recipient, Harry showed his appreciation. “Thank you for doing everything that you do. Our kids especially are incredibly grateful,” the royal said.
Meghan Is a Woman of Vision Award Honorees
The duo arrived at the Ms. Foundation Women of Vision Awards: Celebrating Generations of Progress & Power event on May 2023 for Meghan Markle to receive an honor as one of this year’s Woman of Vision Award honorees for her charity work.
Prince Harry Attends King Charles III’s Coronation
On May 6, Prince Harry attended the long-awaited coronation of King Charles III. “There was never any question on whether he would want to come or not,” royal expert Omid Scoobie declared. Markle, for her part, stayed behind in California to celebrate their son Archie’s fourth birthday.
Reportedly Becoming Producers
At the beginning of Feb 2023, insiders reported that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle would be going into more Netflix projects, but as producers for romcoms and feel-good movies. Can you imagine?! We seriously can’t wait to see how they go about this career change.
Attended Ellen DeGeneres & Portia de Rossi’s Vow Renewal
Megan Markle and Prince Harry were among the glittery line-up of guests at Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi’s vow renewal ceremony in early February. Kris Jenner officiated and other big name attendees included Jennifer Aniston and Orlando Bloom. You can see the video here.
This marked Markle and Harry’s first public appearance together since the royal’s bombshell memoir Spare was released.
The Inception of Archewell
Following Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s departure from the royal family, the couple started their own foundation dubbed Archewell. They launched Archewell’s official website in December 2020. “We believe in the best of humanity. Because we have seen the best of humanity. We have experienced compassion and kindness, from our mothers and strangers alike,” the couple wrote in their joint letter on Archewell’s website.
“In the face of fear, struggle and pain, it can be easy to lose sight of this. Together, we can choose to put compassion in action.” Archewell has been the hub through which a number the couple’s public service endeavors flow through, and it’s used as the place where the couple can highlight organizations with whom they’re partnering and more.
Coming Clean with Oprah
In March 2021, Meghan and Harry made the decision to open up to Oprah Winfrey in a televised interview on CBS. During their conversation, Meghan revealed she struggled with suicidal ideation during her time as a prominent member of the royal family. Harry also shared that his relationship with his immediate family became quite strained.
The two reiterated that finding support within The Firm wasn’t easy at all. It was one of the most shocking interviews given by members of the royal family, and it certainly lifted the veil on the glamorous facade we were accustomed to seeing the couple represented in photos.
Becoming A Family of Four
After revealing to Oprah (and the world) that they were expecting a baby girl, Meghan and Harry announced the arrival of their daughter, Lilibet Diana, in June 2021. “It is with great joy that Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, welcome their daughter, Lilibet ‘Lili’ Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, to the world,” the couple shared in a statement.
“Lili was born on Friday, June 4 at 11:40 a.m. in the trusted care of the doctors and staff at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, CA. She weighed 7 lbs 11 oz. Both mother and child are healthy and well, and settling in at home,” the statement went on. “Lili is named after her great-grandmother, Her Majesty The Queen, whose family nickname is Lilibet. Her middle name, Diana, was chosen to honor her beloved late grandmother, The Princess of Wales.” As we all know, Harry and Meghan welcomed son Archie Harrison in 2019.
Prince Harry & Prince William Unveil Princess Diana’s Statue
Less than a month after his daughter’s birth, Harry went on a solo trip to the UK to unveil a statue of his late mother Princess Diana at Kensington Palace alongside brother Prince William. It was a rare united front for the two brothers, as their rumored feud continues to persist. But snapshots taken at the event gave a lot of longtime royal family fans hope that if anything could bridge the gap between the brothers, it was the love and admiration for their mother.
Meghan’s 40×40 Project
For her milestone 40th birthday, Meghan Markle wanted to do something to give back, thus creating her 40×40 initiative. “Because I’m turning 40, I’m asking 40 friends to donate 40 minutes of their time to help mentor a woman who’s mobilizing back into the workforce,” Meghan explained in her birthday video.
A statement for the Duchess of Sussex further explained Meghan’s goal. “With this time, I hope they each help someone advance a professional life on her own terms, and, I hope that they inspire countless others to give 40 minutes of their time as well.”
Speaking Out On Global Issues
With their new Archewell platform, Harry and Meghan have taken it upon themselves to take a stand on global atrocities. In August 2021, the couple shared a joint statement to their Archewell site highlighting the pain and suffering they were seeing in the Middle East, Haiti, and across the globe amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“As we all feel the many layers of pain due to the situation in Afghanistan, we are left speechless. As we all watch the growing humanitarian disaster in Haiti, and the threat of it worsening after last weekend’s earthquake, we are left heartbroken. And as we all witness the continuing global health crisis, exacerbated by new variants and constant misinformation, we are left scared,” they wrote.
“When any person or community suffers, a piece of each of us does so with them, whether we realize it or not,” the couple continued. “And though we are not meant to live in a state of suffering, we, as a people, are being conditioned to accept it. It’s easy to find ourselves feeling powerless, but we can put our values into action — together.”
Months later, in February 2022, the couple shared similar sentiments on the devistation taking place in Ukraine. “Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and all of us at Archewell stand with the people of Ukraine against this breach of international and humanitarian law and encourage the global community and its leaders to do the same,” the statement read in part.
Addition To Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People
In September 2021, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry had the distinguished honor of being included in Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People. The couple even appeared on the cover of the magazine.
“In a world where everyone has an opinion about people they don’t know, the duke and duchess have compassion for the people they don’t know,” World Central Kitchen founder José Andrés wrote of the couple. “They don’t just opine. They run toward the struggle.”
A Trip to NYC
In the same month that the couple made the cover of Time Magazine, Prince Harry and Meghan took their first trip together since daughter Lilibet was born. The couple traveled to New York City, where they visited the 9/11 memorial and Freedom Tower, spoke at Global Citizen Live about the COVID-19 pandemic, and did their own individual meetings discussing paid parental leave and media literacy. They even attended a red carpet event!
Meghan’s Major Legal Victory
A few months following the couple’s NYC trip, Meghan had a major victory of her own. The Duchess of Sussex won her privacy and copyright infringement case against Associated Newspapers, responsible for the tabloid that published excerpts of a private letter between Meghan and her father, Thomas Markle.
“This is a victory not just for me, but for anyone who has ever felt scared to stand up for what’s right,” Meghan said in a statement. “While this win is precedent setting, what matters most is that we are now collectively brave enough to reshape a tabloid industry that conditions people to be cruel, and profits from the lies and pain that they create.”
Their NAACP Honor
During the holidays, the Sussexes kept a fairly low profile. But in February 2022, they stepped out to receive a major honor at the NAACP Image Awards. The couple was awarded the prestigious President’s Award as recognition for their work in public service, and they gave a moving speech.
“It’s inspiring to think about the legacy of the Image Awards, which began shortly after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 were passed into law. Today, we can continue that legacy by re-establishing federal voting protections in our country and fulfilling the work of civil rights giants, like the late John Lewis,” Meghan shared.
“We are so deeply humbled to be here in the company of so many illustrious awardees. Before I begin, we would like to acknowledge the people of Ukraine, who urgently need our continued support as a global community. I also echo the immense gratitude for tonight, both for this award and this community for welcoming me so warmly,” Harry added.
Meghan’s ‘Archetypes’ Podcast
By March 2022, Meghan Markle’s long-awaited podcast teaser finally arrived, and it gave future listeners an idea of what the mom of two would tackle on her show, Archetypes.
“This is Archetypes — the podcast where we dissect, explore, and subvert the labels that try to hold women back,” Meghan said in the teaser. “I’ll have conversations with women who know all too well how these typecasts shape our narratives. And I’ll talk to historians to understand how we even got here in the first place.”
The 2022 Invictus Games
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Invictus Games weren’t able to go on as planned. But, by 2022, all participants were ready to head to The Hague in the Netherlands. Meghan was right by Harry’s side, supporting him throughout their days at the games. And Harry couldn’t have been more into it.
Supporting the Next Generation
A cause that’s incredibly important to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex is supporting the next generation, and that became incredibly clear in May 2022. The Duke of Sussex joined the 5Rights Foundation in a Global Child Online Safety Toolkit webinar, where he spoke about protecting children who go online.
“As parents, my wife and I are concerned about the next generation growing up in a world where they are treated as digital experiments for companies to make money and where things like hatred and harm are somehow normalized,” he said. “We want our children and all children to feel empowered to speak up.”
The ‘Harry & Meghan’ Docuseries
On Dec 8, the pair released the first part of their two-part docuseries entitled Harry & Meghan. “This is Harry being able to — for the first time — talk about his own life,” a source told The Telegraph. “His family are obviously part of his story, but it’s less an exercise in record-setting (than) a means of setting himself free. And then he can move on.”
‘Live to Lead’
Not long after the release of Harry & Meghan, the two released Live to Lead, a Netflix show about leaders from all over the world. “Leaders committed to making a difference in the world share their inspiring life stories in this series executive produced by Prince Harry and Meghan,” the official synopsis reads. Highlighted leaders included Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Jacinda Ardern, Greta Thunberg, Bryan Stevenson and Gloria Steinam.
Prince Harry Releases ‘Spare’
Not long after his trip to the U.K. to unveil his mother’s statue, news surfaced that Prince Harry was planning his own memoir. The book, titled Spare, which will release worldwide on Jan 10, will see a never-seen-before perspective of the royal’s life, from the tricky dynamics between Kate Middleton and Markle, to the strained relationship with his brother and his NSFW virginity confession.
