Meghan Markle’s Hollywood makeover requires a ‘new persona’: experts

After years of family drama, Meghan Markle is ready for a royal rebrand.

The Duchess of Sussex is collaborating with celebrity stylist Jamie Mizrahi for a style refresh as she emerges more in the public eye, Lauren Sherman’s The Line Sheet, a fashion industry newsletter, recently reported. 

Mizrahi has previously styled Adele, Jennifer Lawrence and Riley Keough, among others.

Markle, a former Hollywood actress, didn’t work with a stylist before she married Britain’s Prince Harry in 2018, Page Six reported. According to the outlet, her pal Jessica Mulroney would offer a helping hand at times.

TV SHOWS, MOVIES MEGHAN MARKLE, DUCHESS OF SUSSEX, APPEARED IN BEFORE BECOMING A ROYAL

While the mother of two may be gearing up to go Hollywood glam, several experts told Fox News Digital the duchess will need more than a new wardrobe to revamp her image.

“I don’t like to call it a rebrand or relaunch,” said Kinsey Schofield, host of the “To Di For Daily” podcast. “A nip and tuck through a fresh wardrobe or a dull podcast announcement – a diversion.

“Team Sussex is trying to distract from the decline in their professional reputation and general likability,” Schofield added. “Harry and Meghan are trying to slap some glitter on a lackluster brand. The Sussexes have developed a reputation for being difficult, unrealistic and unproductive. A one-trick pony spilling the tea on Harry’s royal relatives.”

In 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back as senior royals and moved to California. At the time, they alleged palace officials were insensitive to Markle’s mental health struggles as she attempted to navigate royal life. The couple also alleged that the duchess faced racist attitudes from the U.K. press, which contributed to their decision to leave the country.

Harry has had a troubled relationship with his family since he quit royal duties. He showed up alone for his father’s coronation in May but left as soon as the ceremony ended to return to the U.S. for his son’s birthday.

Following their departure as senior royals, Harry and his wife aired their complaints about life as royals. In 2021, they sat down with Oprah Winfrey for an interview that was viewed by 50 million people globally. After releasing a six-part docuseries on Netflix in 2022, Harry’s memoir, “Spare,” hit bookshelves in 2023, quickly becoming a bestseller.

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Schofield claimed Markle, 42, will have a difficult time not being associated with drama as she gives her look a makeover this year.

“If the media continues to remind the world that you’re drama … perception is reality,” Schofield claimed. “Meghan has become an extremely polarizing figure. … I suspect she knows that she should never have sat down with Oprah Winfrey. That was the beginning of the end for a lot of people when it came to the War of the Windsors.

“It’s going to take more than a new pencil skirt to change people’s hearts and minds about Meghan Markle.”

In June 2023, it was announced Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were parting ways with Spotify less than a year after the season 1 premiere of their podcast “Archetypes.”

In December 2020, the couple had signed a three-year podcasting deal that, according to industry sources, was worth between $15 million to $18 million, Forbes reported. Some reports indicated that the deal was worth as much as $25 million.

“Spotify and Archewell Audio have mutually agreed to part ways and are proud of the series we made together,” a joint statement from Spotify and Archewell sent to FOX Business said at the time of the split.

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The couple’s production company landed the multiyear partnership following their royal exit. Their goal was to create podcasts and shows that would tell stories through diverse voices and perspectives.

The series premiered in August with tennis great Serena Williams as a guest. It became an instant hit, topping Spotify charts in seven countries, including the U.S. and U.K. It won the podcast award at the People’s Choice Awards last year. Markle was also named a digital media national winner for the 48th Annual Gracie Awards. But once their deal ended, Harry and Markle were labeled “f—ing grifters” by Bill Simmons, Ringer founder and head of podcast innovation and monetization at Spotify.

Now it looks like the couple is getting ready to come back swinging.

Earlier this year, the couple quietly launched Sussex.com, a website that features the latest news about the pair as well as links to their Archewell Foundation organization and Archewell Productions hub. It highlights Markle’s coat of arms, which incorporates Harry’s crest. The site mentioned Harry’s recent appearance at the NFL Honors in Las Vegas, where he presented the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award to Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward.

Then it was soon announced the duchess signed a new podcast deal with Lemonada Media. Not only will her Spotify series “Archetypes” be distributed to all podcast platforms, but she’s also launching a new show she will host.

And on March 8, Markle will participate in the opening day keynote panel at SXSW along with Katie Couric and Brooke Shields for a panel called “Breaking Barriers, Shaping Narratives: How Women Lead On and Off the Screen.’

Doug Eldridge, celebrity branding expert and founder of Achilles PR, told Fox News Digital if he were advising Markle, he would tell the royal she “needs less focus on the ribbon and wrapping paper and more emphasis on what’s actually inside the box.”

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“Meghan should be thinking about substance over style at this point,” Eldridge explained. “She doesn’t need a new look. She needs a new perception and persona. Both can be achieved, but the order of the variables matters. Her looks and wardrobe have never been what drew criticism. It was her actions, demeanor and relationship with the royal family and the duties that came along with it.”

Eldridge pointed out that, at this point in her career, Markle could get inspiration from her glamorous mother-in-law, the late Princess Diana.

“Like Meghan, Princess Diana was beautiful and eventually became a global style icon,” he said. “But with Diana, the substance preceded the style. She was embraced for who she was first, then for how she looked. She was ‘the people’s princess,’ not from a hashtag campaign. … It was because of her genuine, authentic empathy for those less fortunate — especially her work with HIV/AIDS patients at a time when we knew little to nothing about the disease.”

“When substance precedes style, the style becomes iconic – again, the order matters,” he noted.

Eldridge said there’s still time for Markle to give her persona a makeover, one that would have a lasting impact.

“America loves a comeback, and Hollywood is a town built on reboots and expanding franchises,” he reflected. “The message must be tailored to the audience. For Meghan, that means determining whether her core audience is in the U.S. or U.K. Most observers would say she took a ‘burn the boats’ approach to her … royal exit. When you go that route, your options are limited.

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“[You must] craft a lane and identity all your own,” Eldridge continued. “Kate Middleton is a queen in waiting. Princess Diana was an enduring icon. Queen Elizabeth II ruled for … the longest of any monarch in British history. Meghan can’t go down any of those paths. … She needs to decide who she is and then show that to the rest of the world. Her focus should be character over couture.”