The past twelve months have represented a period of profound transition and turbulence for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. While forging increasingly separate professional paths, Prince Harry and Meghan have navigated a minefield of legal setbacks, persistent family discord, and intense public scrutiny, making 2025 one of their most testing years since stepping back as senior royals.
A Year of Professional and Personal Hurdles
Professionally, the couple experienced significant shifts. Their lucrative multi-year deal with Netflix was not renewed, replaced instead by a more flexible 'first-look' agreement. Industry observers widely viewed this as a downgrade, following a mixed reception to their content. Meghan's return to social media with her 'As Ever' brand and her Netflix show, With Love, Meghan, received a polarised response, while the second season of the couple's series earned a dismal one-star rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
On a personal level, the year was dominated by strain. Persistent rumours, including a bizarre January report in Vanity Fair speculating about a potential 'divorce memoir' from Meghan, were dismissed by sources close to the couple as baseless and distressing. The Duchess also continued to face historical allegations about her management style, which she has always strenuously denied.
Further personal difficulty arose from the health crisis of Meghan's father, Thomas Markle Senior, who reportedly underwent emergency leg amputation surgery. The pair have not spoken since 2018.
Legal Defeats and Tentative Royal Reconciliation
One of Prince Harry's major blows came when he lost his long-running legal challenge against the Home Office to reinstate his automatic taxpayer-funded police protection in the UK. The Duke argued that the current 'bespoke' security arrangement—requiring 30 days' notice for a risk assessment—was insufficient, leaving him unable to safely bring his children, Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4, to his home country.
In a revealing BBC interview after the loss, Harry claimed the legal fight had caused a communication breakdown with his father, King Charles III, labelling the situation an 'establishment stitch up'. However, a tentative step towards reconciliation occurred in the autumn when the pair met for tea at Clarence House during Harry's UK visit. Relations with his brother, the Prince of Wales, are said to remain frosty, with the two not meeting during the trip.
New Controversies and a Strategic Rebrand
Harry sparked fresh controversy with a surprise appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where he roasted former US President Donald Trump. His quip, 'I hear you elected a king', alluding to the 'No Kings' protests, led to renewed calls for him to be stripped of his royal titles. Commentators noted the awkward timing, coming just months after a cordial state visit between Trump and King Charles.
In a clear sign of looking to the future, the couple announced a significant rebrand of their charitable arm on 19 December. The Archewell Foundation was renamed Archewell Philanthropies. PR experts interpreted this as a strategic move to signal maturity, scale, and a more institutional, less personality-driven focus. While some, like former BBC correspondent Jennie Bond, questioned the wisdom of changing a known brand, others saw it as an evolution pointing towards a more US-centric philanthropic operation independent of the Royal Family.
As the year closed, the Sussexes' path appeared one of continued reinvention. Despite professional recalibrations and a fragile familial détente, their actions—from overlapping international tours with Prince William to outspoken media appearances—suggest an enduring tension between their desire for independence and the inescapable pull of their royal legacy.
