Meghan Markle and Prince Harry will travel to New York City to accept the "Humanitarians of the Year" award, a decision that has left several royal experts puzzled.
On Oct. 9, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be honored at Project Healthy Minds’ World Mental Health Day Gala. The couple will receive the award for their efforts to "make the online world a safer place for families and young people, and for their strides to advance mental well-being globally," People magazine reported.
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told Fox News Digital that while the couple has been attempting to rebrand their image, their public airing of private family grievances won't be forgotten.
"Despite the work they have undoubtedly done to highlight mental health issues ... surely, they are the wrong winners for this sort of award," he said. "Both Meghan and Harry are estranged from their families and have launched deeply destructive attacks on the royal family for their personal and financial gain. Surely, winners of such an award should be positive in approach."
"It states that Meghan is a ‘cultural catalyst for positive change’ and lists Harry’s memoir, ‘Spare,’ among his achievements," said Fitzwilliams. "What their foundation has done in the field of mental health is, of course, to be welcomed. However, their treatment of their respective families makes them unsuitable recipients of a humanitarian award."
Harry, 41, and Meghan, 44, established the Archewell Foundation in 2020 to "show up, do good," according to People magazine. They also launched The Parent’s Network, which aims to support families affected by online harm.
The timing of the award is especially significant for Meghan. The former American actress has been working to establish herself as an entrepreneur since the couple made their royal exit. In February, she launched her lifestyle brand, As Ever, and in March, Netflix premiered her series, "With Love, Meghan."
On Oct. 4, the mother of two made her Paris Fashion Week debut as the Duchess of Sussex by attending the Balenciaga show. A spokesperson for Meghan told People she was supporting Pierpaolo Piccioli, who recently assumed the role of creative director for the brand.
Still, British royals expert Hilary Fordwich argued that Meghan’s post-royal efforts have not demonstrated significant humanitarian work.
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"Instead of focusing on ... charitable pursuits or anything truly transformative to rectify her reputation ... she is reverting to glitzy, high-profiled events in an attempt to reset public perception," Fordwich claimed. "… Unfortunately for her, Hollywood is unforgiving. A third act isn’t likely to succeed."
Meghan became the Duchess of Sussex in 2018 when she married the British prince. In 2020, the couple stepped back as senior royals, citing intrusive press coverage and a lack of support from the palace.
After relocating to California, they discussed their struggles with royal life in multiple interviews and documentaries. Harry’s 2023 memoir, which revealed intimate details about the House of Windsor, further strained family relations.
In his book, Harry made no secret of his belief that the "men in grey suits" at the palace conspired against him, just as they once did against his late mother, Princess Diana. According to the Times of London, Harry accused three courtiers he called "Bee, Wasp and Fly" of acting to force him out of his royal role.
"I’d spent my life dealing with courtiers, scores of them," he wrote, as quoted by the outlet. "But now I dealt mostly with just three, all middle-aged white men who’d managed to consolidate power through a series of bold Machiavellian maneuvers."
Buckingham Palace never publicly responded to Harry’s book or its claims.
On Sept. 10, Harry saw his father, King Charles III, for the first time in more than a year. The two have been distant since Harry and Meghan publicly criticized the royal family. Royal experts previously told Fox News Digital that Harry and his brother, Prince William, the heir to the throne, are still not on speaking terms.
The Duchess of Sussex hasn't returned to the U.K. since her royal exit.
"... Meghan made a major miscalculation when she flicked a match to the royal family, only to find herself being the only one burned," Doug Eldridge, a branding expert and founder of Achilles PR, told Fox News Digital. "She’s been in a self-inflicted cycle of PR triage ever since."
"Meghan Markle’s association with the title ‘duchess’ is akin to Dwight Schrute’s confusion surrounding his role as ‘Assistant to the Regional Manager,’" he claimed. "It was an empty title which conferred no rank, reach or relevance. While the Duchess title certainly isn’t fictional, Meghan’s assumption of relevance clearly is. Following Harry and Meghan’s high-profile abdication of their royal duties, the title now has little significance and zero responsibility."
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Kinsey Schofield, host of YouTube’s "Kinsey Schofield Unfiltered," told Fox News Digital that because the couple has kept their Duke and Duchess titles, expectations for their every move remain high.
"… Harry and Meghan might assume the rules no longer apply to them because they’re no longer working members of the British royal family, but that’s not the case when you insist on keeping the titles," said Schofield. "There are higher expectations of the Sussexes than there would be for Heidi and Spencer Pratt."
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"Their titles represent the monarchy," said Schofield. "You have to be careful not to jeopardize the institution. Your associations and behavior reflect the monarchy that granted you the titles you use.
"… Since leaving the British royal family, Harry and Meghan have lacked purpose in their pursuits. Without the mystique and responsibility of their royal roles, they have been reduced to celebrities. When a celebrity constantly reinvents themselves without a clear sense of purpose or authenticity, audiences start to tune out."
"How many times have we discussed the idea of a rebranding or reinvention since the Sussexes stepped down in 2020?" Schofield added.
According to Eldridge, if Meghan remains strategic, she could engineer a notable turnaround for her reputation. He noted that by sharpening her business focus and expanding her charitable efforts, she could demonstrate she has moved beyond public grievances and toward genuine purpose.
"The last 12 months marked the first time that Meghan has seemingly made an effective, possibly lasting, course correction, both personally and professionally," he said.
"She dispensed with the victim marketing and ad hominem attacks on Harry’s family. She focused on her business and her family; that focus was met with an effective launch of her lifestyle brand and a commercial foundation she can actually build upon."
In a statement obtained by People magazine, the couple said, "Working with families and young people to prioritize safety online has been some of the most meaningful work of our lives."
"As parents ourselves, we have been moved to action by the power of their stories and are honored to support them," they shared. "We’re proud to be longtime partners of Project Healthy Minds as we work together to shine a light on what remains one of the most pressing issues of our time."
On Oct. 10, Harry and Meghan will also attend Project Healthy Minds’ fourth annual World Mental Health Day Festival. People magazine reported that the couple’s Archewell Foundation is partnering with Project Healthy Minds to co-produce a series of conversations focused on improving mental health.
Royal experts agree the time has come for the Sussexes to "show up, do good." But for some, Meghan’s image, in particular, is already fully formed.
"I don’t think Meghan’s going anywhere," said Schofield.