Los Angeles - Prince Harry and wife
Meghan are ready to hit the speakers' circuit after signing with
an agency that works with former US President Obama and other
high-profile clients, according to a person familiar with their
plans.
The pair is being represented by the New York-based Harry
Walker Agency, whose roster of speakers includes Barack and
Michelle Obama, Bill and Hillary Clinton and Oprah Winfrey, the
person said on Wednesday.
The move is one of the first major steps by the Duke and
Duchess of Sussex to engage in paid work beyond the British
royal family after they announced plans in January to lead a
more independent life and to finance it themselves. They now
live in Los Angeles with their 1-year-old son Archie, according
to media reports.
The couple's speaking engagements will focus on issues such
as racial justice, gender equity, the environment and mental
health, an important topic to Prince Harry who has talked
publicly about his struggles with grief following the death of
his mother, Princess Diana.
The pair will take part in moderated discussions and keynote
speeches with trade assocations, corporations and community
forums, according to the person familiar with the plans. They
will appear together and individually.
The speaking circuit in North America can be lucrative for
high-profile celebrities. Big-name speakers can earn six figures
for a single appearance.
Meghan recently narrated a Disney nature documentary and
Harry teamed with Winfrey for an upcoming documentary about
mental health for the Apple streaming service Apple TV+, but
both projects were in the works before they stepped back from
the royal family.
Harry Walker was acquired last year by California-based
media company Endeavor.