Harry and Meghan's 'US popularity has significantly cooled' as they 'alienate' fans

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's popularity in the States is dwindling, according to a Royal expert. The couple's exit from the Royal family and their subsequent criticisms of the monarchy have proven divisive, attracting significant backlash and seemingly testing the patience of the American public.

Royal commentator Lee Cohen believes that while the Sussexes were once seen as a modern fairy tale, their constant complaints have changed this perception , leading to a significant cooling of America's love affair with the pair. Writing for The US Sun, he stated: "Harry and Meghan just love to complain. And in America's largely optimistic society, that is a bad look. While some view the couple's openness as a brave stance against institutional rigidity, many others perceive it as ungrateful and divisive.

"A segment of Americans, particularly those of us who respect and admire the monarchy, find these repeated criticisms disrespectful and unbecoming. So the Sussexes' endless narrative of grievance has alienated many who once admired their candour."

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Harry and Meghan have been going through a tough time recently. They faced significant backlash after Harry accepted the Pat Tillman Award, with over 70,000 people signing a petition urging ESPN to reconsider their decision. Despite this, Harry proceeded to accept the award, with Meghan supporting him from the audience.

The award is named after NFL player and US Army Ranger Pat Tillman, who tragically died in Afghanistan in 2004. ESPN presents this award to individuals in the sports industry who have made significant contributions to improving others' lives, reports the Mirror .

Harry's receipt of the award for his work with the Invictus Games shocked many, including Pat's mother Mary, who questioned why ESPN chose "such a controversial and divisive individual to receive the award". The criticism reportedly surprised the Prince.

Reflecting on Harry's decision to accept the award, Royal expert Jennie Bond commented: "It might have been wiser either to decline, or to nominate one of his Invictus heroes as a worthy winner.

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"I suppose Americans have now got used to the novelty of having a British prince making his home in their country, and inevitably some of the gloss is wearing off. But Harry remains an immensely likeable man, and I'm sure his personality makes him as popular as ever with people he associates with."

Jennie also discussed the impact of the criticism on Meghan. Speaking to OK, she said: "Fame is often a double edged sword: one minute you are sitting atop a pedestal of adoration, and the next you are unroyally knocked off it. I don't imagine that Harry takes a great deal of interest in random polls about their popularity... but media savvy Meghan might find it rather harder to swallow."

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