It's been almost one month since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced they'd "step back" from their senior royal duties. They've since been keeping a low profile on Vancouver Island in Canada where they are reportedly staying at a multi-million dollar mansion that belongs to an unnamed friend. But, according to Hollywood insiders, the couple could be planning to make a surprise appearance at the Oscars in Los Angeles on Sunday night, signaling they are ready to embark on new careers in Hollywood.
"Meghan has been deluged with offers," said my source. "She and Harry have been talking to a lot of people about all different types of projects. Meghan has already worked with Disney [doing voiceover work] and they are looking at developing that relationship. It's entirely possible one of the studios have invited them to attend the ceremony as their guests. They're the biggest celebrities in the world right now, so why wouldn't they?"
One Hollywood insider told me that Harry and Meghan "certainly would be welcomed at any party on Oscar night because everyone is so fascinated by them and curious about what they're going to do next. All they would have had to have done is let it be known they were interested in attending the awards or any of the parties and it would be a done deal."
Harry and Meghan would certainly feel at home at Elton John's annual Oscar night bash in West Hollywood benefitting his eponymous AIDS foundation. The Elton John AIDS Foundation has raised more than $400 million to help bring awareness and fund research for HIV and AIDS. Harry has worked closely with the singer, who was a close friend of Princess Diana, to further the cause. "Harry and Meghan would certainly feel very comfortable at this party as Elton's special guests and it would be a great way to introduce them to a lot of the biggest stars in town because everyone winds up there at one point in the evening," my source added.
The royal couple would also be welcome at the Vanity Fair party. "Meghan broke her silence about her relationship with Harry with a cover story in Vanity Fair and she guest edited the September issue of British Vogue," said the insider. "Obviously, Vanity Fair or Vogue would love to get both of them on the cover together and land the exclusive with them about their next chapter. If they show up at the party, there's a good chance they're in talks to do something with [parent company] Condé Nast either in Vanity Fair or Vogue."
There's also the possibility that Harry and Meghan could show up as guests of Netflix at the ceremony or at their viewing party in West Hollywood. Last month, during an appearance on CNN, I revealed that my sources said the Sussexes were looking to build their brand in a way similar to how Barack and Michelle Obama have structured their post-presidential media deals by developing programming for Netflix. And when the streaming platform's chief content officer, Ted Sarandos, was asked about courting Harry and Meghan shortly thereafter, he said: "Who wouldn't be interested? Yes, sure."
Of course, there's also the possibility the producers of the Oscars broadcast have snagged Harry and Meghan as surprise presenters, which would certainly give the show a much needed ratings boost given its declining viewership over the past several years. "The best Oscars have had a few great surprise presenters," said my source. "Harry and Meghan would certainly fit the bill. They could present the award for Best Documentary since that's an area that they are interested in pursuing."
Another source told me all this may be in the works for next year, by which time the couple will undoubtedly have signed on to some major projects and be eager to be seen as major Hollywood players. "Meghan is nothing if not strategic," said the insider. "Sure, they could go this year, but it would have even more impact if they already had some deal in place and were interested in promoting it in a major way. That is sure to be the case next year. I think she's going to wait. Meghan is not interested in being a curiosity. She is looking at the long game. She has waited her whole life for this kind of stardom and she's going to make sure she does it right."
Diane Clehane is a New York-based journalist and author of Imagining Diana and Diana: The Secrets of Her Style.
