When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced last year that they were leaving the royal family to pursue their own careers, the shock was felt around the world. But according to Duncan Larcombe, former royal editor and author of Prince Harry: The Inside Story (opens in new tab), it was because of such great controversy that so much is now riding on their success.

Speaking to Closer (opens in new tab) this week, Larcombe discussed their production company Archewell Productions, their multimillion-dollar, multi-year deal with Netflix (opens in new tab), their confessional-style memoir, Spotify's He explained that the stakes are high for the couple when it comes to their new projects, including a (speculative) podcasting deal. 'These deals put a lot of pressure on Harry and Meghan to make it in the U.S.,' he said. Harry and Meghan are under tremendous pressure to make a success of their life in the U.S.," Larkom said. It would be the ultimate humiliation."

Larkom also speculated on how Harry and Meghan feel about their standing with the rest of the royal family and how the British backlash to Oprah's interview has affected them mentally. 'I've been reporting that Harry has been the most popular member of the royal family since he was a teenager,' he said. To go from that to where he is now must be really hard for him and probably spurs him on to anger," he told the magazine.

He added: "I worry if Harry fails to make it in America. I don't think he would be welcome as active royalty, but as a brother, son, or grandson."

Of course, all of this is speculation, but it does raise the question of whether the multiple high-profile deals that Harry and Meghan have signed can justify the controversy that their departure from the royal family has caused. Americans can't seem to get enough of the royal couple, but it remains to be seen how well the domestic American audience will respond to all the projects currently in the pipeline. Then again, even if we get mute silence from Harry and Meghan, we will be glued to any news about them. Their first Archewell Netflix series (opens in new tab), Heart of Invictus, which follows athletes as they prepare for the 2022 Invictus Games, will find out when the first installment is released.