Meghan Markle's 'Relentless Ambition to Return to Showbiz' Is Creating a Division Between Her and Prince Harry

Meghan Markle's determination to revive her Hollywood career is said to be pushing her marriage to Prince Harry toward crisis point, with insiders telling OK! her "relentless ambition to return to showbiz" is creating deep divisions between the couple.

The 44-year-old former Suits actor and her husband Harry, 41, stepped back from royal duties in 2020 and relocated to California, where they launched Archewell Productions and secured lucrative deals with Netflix and Spotify.

Initially seen as a powerful new media partnership, their ventures have since faced setbacks, including the end of their Spotify deal in 2023 and a scaling back of their Netflix arrangement to a "first look" agreement.

Meghan's lifestyle brand and recent projects, including With Love, Meghan, have also struggled to meet expectations, while reports suggest the couple's once-close relationship with Netflix executives has cooled.

A source close to the couple told us: "There is an increasing feeling among those around them that Meghan's determination to rebuild her place in Hollywood has become the dominant force shaping their day-to-day lives. It's not just one priority among many – it's the central focus, and that intensity is beginning to take a toll on the relationship. From Harry's point of view, it can feel as though every decision, every plan, is being filtered through that ambition, even when recent setbacks might suggest a need to reassess. Within their circle, people are now openly referring to it as Meghan's relentless ambition to return to showbiz, and there's a growing concern about the direction it's taking them in. The fear is that they are no longer moving forward as a united front – instead, they're being pulled in different directions, with Meghan pushing ahead and Harry growing more hesitant. If that imbalance continues, those close to them worry it could put them on a path toward splitsville unless they're able to find some shared ground again."

The tension is said to stem from fundamentally different outlooks. Meghan, who built her career in Los Angeles before marrying into the royal family, is reportedly determined to persist despite professional challenges. Harry, by contrast, is said to be more cautious about continuing to pursue opportunities that have yet to deliver consistent success.

Another source said: "There's a noticeable shift in how people around them are talking about Meghan's career push – it's no longer seen as just ambition, but something that's starting to dominate the dynamic of the relationship. From Harry's perspective, it can feel overwhelming, as though their entire direction is being dictated by the goal of reestablishing her in Hollywood, even when the results have been inconsistent."

"The concern is that they're no longer aligned – Meghan is pushing forward with intensity, while Harry appears more cautious and conflicted. If that divide continues to widen, there's a genuine fear it could lead them to break up unless they manage to recalibrate and find a shared path forward," they added.

The couple's professional ventures have included the highly publicized documentary Harry & Meghan, which drew significant viewing figures, but subsequent projects have had less impact.

Meghan is now returning to acting with a role in Close Personal Friends, while also pursuing public appearances, including a planned "meet and greet" event during an upcoming Australia visit.

Sources suggest these appearances are another point of contention.

They said: "From Meghan's point of view, these appearances are a strategic part of reestablishing herself – they're about visibility, maintaining momentum and reinforcing her place in an industry where relevance can fade quickly. She sees them as necessary steps in rebuilding her brand and keeping doors open. For Harry, though, they often sit uneasily with the direction he's trying to take his life. He's increasingly conscious of how these moments are perceived, particularly as he makes efforts to mend strained relationships with his family. In that context, some of these events feel out of sync with the more low-profile, reconciliatory image he's trying to project, which creates a tension between their priorities."

The couple, who share two children – Archie, 6, and Lilibet, 4 – are said by another source be "totally struggling" to align their priorities.

They added: "Meghan's view is that they've already poured so much time, energy and personal investment into this path that stepping away now would feel like abandoning something unfinished. She frames it as laying the groundwork for their long-term future, not just professionally but as a family, and believes persistence will ultimately pay off. Harry, on the other hand, is becoming more unsettled by how dominant that ambition has become in their lives. There's a growing sense that everything is being shaped around it, and that's where the tension lies. The difficulty is that they're struggling to fully understand each other's perspective – Meghan sees determination and long-term vision, while Harry sees risk and imbalance – and that disconnect is only becoming more pronounced over time."