Harry and Meghan: What does the future hold?

Many people would like to be rich and famous. But what about those who already are? They'd probably very much like to stay that way. 

Five (not entirely serious) suggestions for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, whose Netflix documentary "Harry & Meghan" made a splash earlier this month.

1. Become a Disney prince and princess

After deciding they'd rather not be senior royals, there's always the option of trying for a second run at the Hollywood dream factory. The Walt Disney Co. loves to make movies about princes and princesses, and after all, acting is Meghan's profession. A romantic love story about a prince who leaves his family for a woman of the people, or a remake of "Beauty and the Beast"? The possibilities are endless.

But can Meghan and Harry sing? Nearly every good Disney film includes a a whole range of pop ballads, many of which become famous in their own right. The song "Let It Go" from the 2014 film "Frozen," for example, turned out to be an instant hit. This might also be good advice for the famous couple — and secure them a place in the charts.

2. Climb the Billboard charts

Speaking of singing: How about a career in music? As the legendary Swedish pop band ABBA showed, songs about queens and kings are very popular. ABBA's "Dancing Queen" has long been a classic.

The rock band Queen also landed a cult hit with the song "Killer Queen," and pop singer Lorde made it into the charts with a single called "Royals."

If Harry and Meghan also have a talent for dancing, they could take part in a season of "Dancing with the Stars" or "Strictly Come Dancing," either in the US or the UK. They could then go on tour and appear on various dance shows in the Commonwealth and around the world. A whole new kind of royal tour! 

3. Appear on quiz shows

Popular among celebrities around the world — mostly from the B-tier of fame — are appearances on quiz shows. While their children are doing their homework, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex could study the Encyclopedia Britannica or play some rounds of Trivial Pursuit to expand their horizons and prepare for merciless television quiz games such as "Jeopardy!" It's a given that appearances on television help to secure attention and maintain brand value.

And who knows? A successful appearance on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" could even bring in some money.

Unfortunately, however, even a million dollars wouldn't cover much of the couples' expenses. "Forbes" magazine, citing security experts, claims personal security for their family alone could cost Harry and Meghan $2 to 3 million a year (€1.9 to 2.8 million). The couple has declined to comment on the sum.

4. Consider a breakthrough on reality TV

Many famous families have opened the doors of their homes, mansions and convertibles to camera crews from private broadcasters. Harry and Meghan could do the same. As the success of their documentary "Harry & Meghan" and the Netflix series "The Crown" about the British royal family shows, worldwide interest in European royalty remains high. 

Meghan could contribute the required acting skills, and Harry is used to being in the public eye, having been so his entire life.

However, the sustained media and public attention has had tragic consequences for the royal family in the past: Princess Diana, Harry's mother, who is still known to many in Germany as Lady Di, died in a car accident in Paris in 1997, pursued by paparazzi.

Harry repeatedly stated in the Netflix documentary that he wanted to protect his wife and children from his mother's fate . This was one of the reasons the couple stepped down from senior royal life in 2020. They have had to stand on their own two feet financially ever since.

5. Steal from the rich, then give the poor — and the rich

Why settle for television at all? Harry and Meghan could go for a very special career in the financial sector: As masked bank robbers, they could maintain their anonymity and make a lot of money.

Taking inspiration from noble outlaw Robin Hood and his beloved Maid Marian, they could donate half of the proceeds to their Archewell Foundation, which supports a variety of charitable causes, from soup kitchens to research projects on altruism at Stanford University.

Meghan also takes a stand in public against racism, and she and her husband have repeatedly leveled accusations of racism against the British media and the royal family.

Wouldn't such a bank-robbing royal couple gone rogue make for the stars of a wonderfully glamorous film? A remake of "Thelma & Louise" — only this time with royal pedigree: A "Harry & Meghan" of a very different, and altogether more charming, kind. Let go of the royal family and start a new life full of fast cars, bags of money and the blissful anonymity offered by a pair of full-face balaclavas.

This article was originally written in German.