The recent box-office performance of "Cookie Queens," a documentary executive produced by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, has sparked questions about their ability to draw paying customers, despite their consistent media attention. The film earned approximately $354,000 from 446 theaters in its opening weekend, a figure that fell short of expectations and was notably surpassed by "CatVideoFest 2026," a compilation of internet cat videos.
Royal commentators suggest that while the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are adept at generating headlines, this attention does not automatically convert into commercial success. "Harry and Meghan remain extraordinarily effective at generating headlines, but headlines and paying customers are two very different things," said royal commentator Kinsey Schofield. She noted that while the couple's names once guaranteed curiosity, this is no longer a certainty. The documentary's performance, particularly its ranking behind "CatVideoFest," has been described as an indignity that highlights this distinction.
Meghan Markle personally promoted "Cookie Queens," which follows four Girl Scouts, drawing on her own childhood experience as a Scout. However, experts like Hilary Fordwich argue that the documentary's underwhelming box office suggests the couple's projects may lack demand unless they directly involve criticism of the royal family or share insider stories. Fordwich stated, "The extremely underwhelming box office is a clear indication that, yet again, unless they are bashing the royals and sharing inside stories, secrets and betraying the privacy of the family, there isn’t much they have that is at all in demand nor popular."
Since stepping back from royal duties in 2020, Harry and Meghan have pursued various Hollywood ventures. Their Netflix docuseries "Harry & Meghan" and Harry's memoir "Spare" garnered significant attention, largely due to their focus on royal family dynamics. Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams pointed out that these projects, which involved what he termed "infamous betrayals of the royal family," were their most significant attention-grabbers. He contrasted this with other projects, such as Meghan's series "With Love, Meghan" and the Invictus Games documentary "Polo," which have not achieved similar success.
Schofield elaborated on the difference between attention and commercial influence, suggesting that "infamy can be extremely valuable to newspapers, television shows and social media platforms because people will click, argue and engage. Monetizing that attention yourself is a completely different challenge." She posed the question of whether audiences are interested in consuming content from Harry and Meghan, rather than just content about them.
The dynamics in Hollywood have shifted since the couple's arrival in California. Initially, "Hollywood was essentially buying access to two people who had just walked away from the Royal Family, and the curiosity surrounding them was enormous," Schofield recalled. "Six years later, the novelty has diminished. The questions are much more conventional now: What can you produce? What can you sell? Can you build an audience around something that isn’t royal drama?"
With substantial deals and resources in place, the couple faces increased pressure to demonstrate tangible results. Schofield emphasized that a pattern of "big announcements without finished products" risks damaging credibility. She concluded that the performance of projects like "Cookie Queens," regardless of their scale, becomes part of their professional résumé, making a genuine success more urgent for their future standing in the entertainment industry.