Megxit five years on: Why the Royal Family is praying for the Californian dream to succeed

Speaking on stage alongside Prince Harry and the then Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (dubbed the "fab four") at the Royal Foundation Forum, Meghan said: “Right now, with so many campaigns like #MeToo and Time's Up, there's no better time to continue to shine a light on women feeling empowered”

These were unprecedented words from a senior royal; usually, anything that could be seen as political is avoided.

As Meghan continued in her new role as the Duchess of Sussex, the headlines became less about change and more about challenges. Claims and counterclaims ranged from bridesmaid dress drama to bullying accusations.

It all fuelled a royal rift, although Meghan has always denied the bullying accusations.

By March 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan wanted out, and they stood back as working members of the Royal Family.

January of that year saw tense negotiations between Harry, the late Queen, Prince William and then-Prince Charles, alongside their private secretaries - dubbed the "Sandringham Summit".

A year later, the couple sat down for an explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey, where Prince Harry accused his father of financially cutting him off (denied by Clarence House), and Meghan accused a senior member of the Royal Family of questioning what colour Prince Archie's skin would be when he was born.

The allegations of racism rocked the monarchy, and Prince William was forced to respond days later when he was ambushed by a journalist. “We’re very much not a racist family,” he insisted.

The drama played out in the press and on live TV; former Good Morning Britain host Piers Morgan stormed off the set in a fiery exchange with weather presenter Alex Beresford after Morgan publicly disbelieved Meghan's claims.

Public opinion nosedived, and polls showed Harry and Meghan’s popularity in Britain hit an all-time low.

The couple kept telling their story, painting themselves as victims of the Palace machine. Harry’s memoir Spare became the fastest-selling non-fiction book of all time.

However, their multi-million dollar deals hit snags. The couple's Spotify contract was canned after just one season of Meghan’s Archetypes podcast, and most of their Netflix shows rated poorly.

Prince Harry’s Paralympic-style competition for injured veterans and service personnel, the Invictus Games, continues to flourish.

Meanwhile, Meghan filmed two series of her lifestyle show for Netflix, but was met with mixed reviews.

Her new business, "As Ever", is beginning to sell jams and other products, and she has also launched an online clothing page.

It is too early to see if these ventures are successful.

Throughout all the drama, the Royal Family has remained silent, apart from the late Queen's famous statement, "recollections may vary," following the Oprah interview.

The Royal Family may be hoping Harry and Meghan’s Californian dream works out, because the alternative, it's feared, is more cashing in on royal secrets.