Meghan Meghan Markle Could Have Own Talk Show, Follow Oprah's Footsteps: Royal Expert
Royal experts think Meghan Markle could follow in the footsteps of her pal, Oprah Winfrey, and launch her own talk show.
The Duchess of Sussex, who signed with talent agency WME in April, is speculated to be considering a return to the public eye months after the end of her and Prince Harry's deal with Spotify and the cancellation of her "Archetypes" podcast five months ago.
Royal expert and commentator Richard Kay discussed Markle's potential comeback during a segment on the "Palace Confidential" podcast, highlighting the duchess' efforts to "rebuild her brand" after her and Prince Harry's departure from the royal family in 2020.
But Kay noted that Markle has stayed out of the spotlight and been silent on her future projects since the release of Harry's bombshell memoir "Spare" in January, a move he believes will make it "harder" for her to build up her trademark.
"Is it because she wanted to give a bit more space to Harry, who had so much to get off his chest this year with his ghastly book and his interviews about his family?" Kay speculated. "Maybe she wanted to put a bit of clear blue water between what he had to say and what she's going to do next, didn't want to taint her brand."
"However, what is her brand and will that brand still be there? The longer she's out of the public eye, the harder it will be to kickstart it," Kay added.
Christopher Andersen, author of the King Charles III biography "The King," previously told Fox News Digital that he would be "surprised" if Markle doesn't launch her own talk show. Comparing her to Winfrey, he suggested that the duchess has the potential to become a "powerful and influential" media figure.
"If Meghan doesn't end up hosting a daytime syndicated talk show, I'll be surprised," said Andersen. "She certainly seems well-suited to that role in particular, and I can easily see her pursuing a career path similar to Oprah's in the media: a show, a magazine, producing, directing - the works. She still has a sizeable chunk of the viewing public in her corner."
"Once all the controversy surrounding the Sussexes' ongoing feud with the rest of the royal family dies down, assuming it ever does, I could easily see her launching a successful talk show," he told the outlet. "Meghan has always had her fingers in a lot of pies, and she has a knack for getting what she wants. Millions of girls dream of becoming a princess, but she made it happen - and against all odds to boot! Becoming the next Oprah - a powerful and influential media mogul - does not feel far-fetched at all."
The royal biographer also suggested that despite reports claiming otherwise, Markle may consider returning to acting in the future if she finds the right role.
"Oprah still acts occasionally," the royal expert noted, "I'm sure the dream of winning an Oscar - either in front of the camera or behind it - has never been that far from Meghan's mind."
Markle has yet to announce a new project since it was announced earlier this year that WME, led by CEO Ari Emanuel, signed the former "Suits" star and Archewell, the content creation label for the Sussexes.
Variety reported in April that the duchess was exploring various avenues like film and television production, brand partnerships, and overall business-building but that acting was not an "area of focus."
When the Sussexes parted ways with Spotify in June, a WME rep told The Wall Street Journal that the duchess was "continuing to develop more content for the 'Archetypes' audience on another platform."
Recent reports also suggested that Markle plans to relaunch her lifestyle blog, the Tig, which she had shut down following her 2017 engagement to Harry.
Markle and Prince Harry share a friendship with Winfrey, who attended their wedding in 2018 and interviewed them in 2021 after their royal exit.
Prince Harry also collaborated with the TV mogul on a documentary series focused on mental health.
