Meghan Markle’s new documentary with Disney is about to hit the studio’s streaming service. The former Suits star worked on the project last summer, lending her voice as the film’s narrator. With Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Prince Harry setting up a new home in Los Angeles, royal watchers have accused her of breaking royal protocol by working with Disney while she was still a part of the monarchy.
Inside Meghan Markle’s deal with Disney
Last summer, Meghan agreed to narrate an upcoming Disneydocumentary titled Elephants. She donated her entire salary from theproject to a charity she and Harry have worked with in the past, ElephantsWithout Borders.
The Duchess completed the voiceover work in the fall and the movie is scheduled to hit Disney+ on April 3. The premiere date is only a few days after Prince Harry and Meghan’s exit from the royal family becomes official.
Meghan Markle’s passion for elephants is what drew her to theproject in the first place. In 2017, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex cared forelephants and met with workers who look after the animals during a trip toBotswana.
While they both have connections to elephant charities, Harry’s interactions with Disney CEO Bob Iger sparked rumors that he was the one who got Meghan the job in the first place.
The Duchess of Sussex takes heat for Disney deal
At the premiere of The Lion King last summer, Harry wascaught talking to Iger about Meghan’s desire to do voiceover work. According toExpress,a clip from their interaction clearly shows Harry telling Iger that Meghan“is very interested in doing a job with you, she’s good atvoiceovers.”
The video caused quite the stir for the royals, who traditionally do not do work on projects outside of the world of charity. Little did anyone know that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle would announce their departure from the monarchy six months later.
At the time, the media dubbed Meghan the Duchess of Disney andmany royal experts felt like it was inappropriate for her to work with afor-profit business.
Some royal watchers even accused Meghan of breaking royalprotocol by agreeing to narrate the documentary while she was an active memberof the royal family.
Did Meghan Markle break royal protocol?
Royal watchers are convinced that Meghan broke royal protocol by agreeing to work with Disney on the documentary. Members of the royal family usually only work with charities, which is one reason why Meghan gave up acting in the first place.
While it might appear as though Meghan Markle’s deal with Disneyis against royal protocol, expert Charlie Lankston explained why the Duchess isin the clear. For starters, Meghan did not receive any money from her work onthe documentary. Instead, she donated her earnings to a charity in Africa.
Secondly, the movie is not set to premiere until after Harry andMeghan leave the royal family, so any money Disney earns from the project willhappen after the couple’s exit becomes official.
“It’s worth noting that this project took place before Meghan officially stepped down as a member of the Royal Family,” Lankston shared. “Now that date is March 31 and this documentary is due to come out on April 3. I don’t think there’s any coincidence there with the timing.”
The Sussexes accused of emailing Queen Elizabeth about their exit
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced their exit from the royal family in January and have spent the past few months ironing out the final details of their departure. The announcement sent shockwaves through the royal family, and it remains unclear when they told the monarchy about their decision.
According to PageSix, one source claims that Harry and Meghan told Queen Elizabethabout their plan to leave over email. The insider says that the Duke andDuchess of Sussex sent Her Majesty the email while they were staying in Canadaover the holiday season.
“Her Majesty was shocked. People were angry the Queen hadbeen so disrespected,” the insider added.
As part of their departure from the monarchy, Harry and Meghan will become financially independent from the crown and will be spending most of their time in Los Angeles. Exactly how the couple plans on making money is yet to be seen but restarting Meghan’s acting career is definitely an option.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s exit from the royal family will become official on March 31. Their decision to leave will be reexamined in 12 months.
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