Since they first started dating in 2016, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have struggled with their reputations – both individually and as a couple.

When they lived in the UK, they were relentlessly hounded by the tabloid press, criticised by the public on social media and compared with Prince William and Kate Middleton at every turn. Nothing they did was right, or at least that’s how it seemed.

In 2020, a defeated Harry and Meghan stepped down as senior working royals and hoped to rebuild their lives, and their reputations, in California. They purchased a $14 million home in Montecito where they brush shoulders with A-list neighbours, keep chickens and are able to raise their two children without the scrutiny and expectations that come with being part of the British royal family.

Soon followed a tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey, an ill-fated Spotify deal, a six-part Netflix documentary and a lifestyle brand – the latter of which has, incidentally, gone quiet since it was teased in March.

Far from a total rebrand, Harry and Meghan’s move to the US did not grant them the image overhaul they may have hoped for. In fact, it gave rise to rumours that they are impossible to work for (they have lost 18 members of staff since 2018), that they are ‘out of touch’ and even that they are at risk of deportation when Donald Trump returns to The White House.

The president-elect has long made his disapproval of Harry known and previously said he would not be given ‘special privileges’ if he was found to have lied on his visa application. Harry admitted to taking recreational drugs in his memoir, Spare, which could be grounds for deportation.

According to royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams, Harry and Meghan’s bumpy few years in the US has forced them to rethink their PR strategy. He claims their work relationship is in a ‘very bad state’ so they are trialling a ‘professional separation’, which will see Harry and Meghan undertake more public appearances on their own.

In fact, project ‘professional separation’ might already be underway. Short of a joint video message they sent to a United Nations conference in Colombia on 8 November, calling for the end to violence against children, the couple have not been seen together since the start of September.

Their trip to Colombia in August was their last highly publicised joint appearance. During the visit they promoted their charity work about internet safety, learned about Colombia’s culture and history and met the country’s Invictus Games team. Described by many as a ‘quasi-royal tour’, it was met with a mixed response.

For one, they only allowed their own videographers and reporters into most of the events, supposedly to ensure they were represented ‘accurately’. This raised questions about why the couple would want to go on such a high-profile visit in the first place, especially if they are worried about how they are represented in the media.

Arguably, they are trying to find a way of maintaining their influence and visibility on a global stage, but on their own terms. Unfortunately, their trip to Colombia was not a resounding success. The couple were accused of ‘wasteful spending’ when news broke that the tour cost an estimated $45,000 and they reportedly failed to draw the large crowds expected of royal visits.

As such, in recent months they have been attending various events separately. Last weekend, Meghan hosted a dinner for the Southern California Welcome Project through the couple’s Archewell Foundation. She then shared a statement on the Archewell website where she reflected on the ‘heartfelt dinner’ hosted for Afghan women. ‘This initiative has spent the past year building community through storytelling and creating a safe space for women who have resettled in the US from Afghanistan,’ it read. ‘The evening included a shared meal that encouraged open conversation centred on gratitude and resilience.’

Last week, Harry spent time in Vancouver at a series of Invictus Games-related events while Meghan stayed in LA and was spotted at the launch of her friend Kadi Lee’s new haircare range – which the Duchess is an investor in.

Harry is also gearing up to promote his new Netflix series, POLO, which lands on the platform on 10 December. It offers a behind-the-scenes look at the world of polo and is executive produced by Archewell Productions. While Meghan is listed as an executive producer, it is very much Harry’s domain. It is ‘the sport of kings’ after all, which is unlikely to do his relatability rating any favours.

Ignacio ‘Nacho’ Figueras, a polo player who features in the series, said, ‘This is more his project than it is mine. It’s an honour to know that I was able to help. The show is not about me. It’s not about him. We’ve been working very hard on it, and we’re very excited about the outcome.’

Meanwhile, Meghan is rumoured to have her own series about ‘the joys of cooking, gardening, entertaining and friendship’ in development with Netflix. A title and release date for which has not been announced.

‘This is obviously a new tactic,’ Fitzwilliams told GB News. ‘As in every brand the Sussexes want to promote their brand as best as they can. They have tried something that has worked with the so-called royal tours of Nigeria and Colombia. Then we have got the solo engagements, so they are experimenting.’

For now, it seems their professional separation might be working. In pursuing their own respective interests and projects, the couple is trialling a new way of maintaining influence without as much scrutiny. Whether this is a sustainable long-term strategy is another question, especially once people start inevitably reading too much into the ‘separation’ side of things.

Their next joint appearance could well be at the 2025 Invictus Games in Canada at the start of February, where they are rumoured to be bringing their two children along for the first time. Will this period of ‘separation’ bring a renewed sense of excitement to see the family together again, or will Harry and Meghan be subjected to the usual backlash and media circus? We’ll have to wait to see.