By Molly Claire Goddard
9:32am PST, Jan 26, 2026
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According to PR expert
Mayah Riaz, if Meghan Markle and
Prince Harry reunite with the royal family, the pressure will be on for the Duchess of Sussex to be well portrayed. "A U.K. visit would not automatically equal positive brand lift," she told
The Mirror. "In fact, I believe it would be high risk, high noise. The U.K. media landscape is far less forgiving, and any return would be dissected frame by frame. For Meghan, a visit would likely reignite old narratives rather than create new ones. From a PR standpoint, that is rarely a smart trade."
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While winning back her royal in-laws, Meghan Markle will also have to prove herself to the British people. "Her commercial power has always been strongest in the U.S., where the royal association already works as shorthand for global status," Mayah Riaz said. "American audiences do not need to see her on British soil to be reminded she married into the royal family — that story is already baked into her brand. There is also a misconception that 'royal sparkle' only exists in the U.K. In reality, Meghan's appeal in the U.S. is about modern royalty. Hollywood meets monarchy. That positioning plays better in California than it does here in London, and her deals, audience and influence reflect that."
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Mayah Riaz feels Meghan Markle will have an uphill battle trying to change her public image in England. "Could a U.K. visit change public perception with Brits? Possibly, but only under very specific conditions," she said. "It would need to be values-led, low-key and purpose-driven. Not a glossy appearance, not a brand moment, and certainly not framed as a reconciliation tour. Anything that looks performative would harden opinions rather than soften them."
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While Americans may have a more favorable view of Meghan Markle, the British people are harder to win over. "I'd say that Meghan's challenge is not visibility, it is narrative control," Mayah Riaz said. "Right now, staying U.S. focused allows her to build without reopening wounds that remain very much alive in the British psyche."
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle — who hasn't returned to England since 2022 — could be making more trips across the pond, as the Duke of Sussex's government-funded security is likely to be reinstated. "It's now a formality," an insider told
Daily Mail. "Sources at the Home Office have indicated that security is now nailed on for Harry."
