Harry and Meghan's 'cosy' Instagram glimpse of their new life back in Britain is an attempt to relaunch their 'wounded' brand after failing to conquer US, PR experts say

Harry and Meghan's 'cosy' first glimpse of their new life in Britain is also a bid to relaunch their 'wounded' brand, experts said today, branding the couple's retreat from California the 'kiss of death' for their hopes of US stardom. The Duchess of Sussex has shared a montage of intimate family clips with her 4.8million Instagram followers, featuring a Union flag and heart emoji side by side throughout. In contrast to their life in sun-soaked California, Meghan painted an idyllic picture of a British autumn, complete with splashing in puddles, roaring fires, fishing, bike rides and country walks with their Labrador, Pula.PR guru Mark Borkowski believes Meghan's taste of family life in the UK on a grand English estate was a deliberate attempt to show the world how happy the couple are to be back.But while the video may have delighted fans, he said their return to Britain also underlines their failure to achieve the success they had hoped for in the US.He said: 'The cosy Instagram posting this weekend was interesting, and very much a case of "look at us in the bosom of the autumnal British countryside", but it is a wounded brand.'This UK return may simply acknowledge that Harry feels his strongest currency, audience and commercial value remain here. 'But leaving the US suggests Meghan has no power. No one is buying it any longer. The Meghan tragedy is that she has enjoyed unlimited access to amplification and, in reality, a steadily diminishing supply of affection.'The Harry and Meghan brand isn't dead, but it has begun to resemble a glittering palace chandelier hanging by one screw: glamorous, expensive and increasingly unwise to stand underneath.'Mr Borkowski said that leaving California could mean the couple are quickly forgotten.'Once you retreat from the much-publicised Californian ecosystem, momentum evaporates rather efficiently,' he said. Meghan and Harry's first video in the UK since moving back will delight fans but also a sign that their US adventure was a flop PR guru Mark Borkowski believes Meghan Markle's taste of family life in the UK on a grand English estate was a deliberate attempt to show how happy the couple are to be back 'Hollywood is full of British stars who discovered that being welcomed into the land of showbusiness is not the same thing as being handed the keys.'Eric Schiffer, chairman of Reputation Management Consultants, told Newsweek that Meghan had lost her chance to become an A-lister by leaving the US.'This is the kiss of death to stardom in America for both of them. They got beaten like a rented mule during this process,' he said.'There may be a B-list acting career, but there's going to be tremendous friction, largely because most people don't care.'Their strength was in giving back, and I think they were happiest when they did that. Maybe they'll find their way back to it because that's where they can really do good and find deeper meaning.'In a series of videos the Duchess of Sussex posted on Instagram yesterday, Archie and Lilibet are seen making the most of autumn in the UK, where the family moved last month from California.A source close to the couple said last week: 'They are happy to be back' - and the video certainly gives that impression despite the row with the King after Charles said publicly they are now 'private citizens' who do not represent the monarchy. The 34-second montage includes footage of one of the children's wellies jumping in a puddle, along with a clip of the duke and duchess walking hand in hand down a country lane, with Meghan turning to the camera to say: 'Come on, you – come on!'Lilibet is seen warming her bare feet next to the fire, humming contentedly, and then wellies that appear to be worn by Archie, splash into the scene in a muddy puddle.The next shot is of Lilibet on a pink tasselled bicycle fitted with a doll in its chair on the back, riding towards a group of deer across a track in a park.'Archie!' Harry calls out to his son as he runs on camera, in a pink shirt and blue wellies.The family's labrador, Pula, is then seen bounding down another wooded track lined with ferns and trees.The family will keep their mansion in Montecito, California. They also own a holiday home in Portugal.They have recently said they are 'happy to be back' in the UK, and the children have started at school already.This is in spite of their row with Buckingham Palace over Uganda's withdrawal from Prince Harry's Invictus Games – a sporting event founded by the Duke for wounded military veterans.Insiders close to the couple said Uganda's exit was a 'direct result' of a letter written by King Charles, which insisted they are 'private citizens', not working royals. Lilibet is seen warming her little bare feet next to the fire, humming contentedlyCharles's letter – sent to senior government officials, military leaders, Lord Lieutenants and the couple's team – made it clear that, while the family was back in the country, they were not back in the Firm.After the King's announcement, Uganda's chief of defence and son of the president, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, appeared to want to distance himself from Harry's project, suggesting he did not want to be associated with this 'Harry-Meghan nonsense'.He said on X earlier this week: 'In order not to be construed as being opposed to His Majesty King Charles III of the United Kingdom, whom we deeply revere, Uganda hereby withdraws from the Invictus Games.'The Sussexes said they were 'surprised' to have received the letter from the King following rumours they might have had a 'half in, half out' arrangement on their return. But the letter appears to have put an end to all hope of this idea.Insiders close to the couple said that the 'only people suffering' as a result of the monarch's letter are the Ugandan competitors who were set to take part in the upcoming games.'They made it very clear that the reason they pulled out was a direct result of perceived guidance from the Lord Chamberlain,' they told People magazine, which is widely considered the Sussexes' preferred publication in the US.Meghan and Harry left the UK six years ago to enjoy personal and financial freedom in the US before moving back just over a fortnight ago.A bitter argument has existed between the Sussexes and the royals back home since they left, after it was decided that they would not be allowed to have taxpayer-funded police security when visiting the UK, as they were no longer working royals.The Duke of Sussex has reportedly 'privately pleaded' with Shabana Mahmood for a decision on whether or not he is getting funding for security for his family. Prince Harry said last year in a BBC interview that he was ready to 'reconcile' with his family and that the issue of police protection was the last remaining 'sticking point' in the feud. Prince Archie splashes into the scene, stomping his wellies in a muddy puddle The family's labrador Pula is seen walking along a wooded path dappled with sunlight Fish splash beneath rods as Archie commentates, determined to reel them in. You can hear he has an American accent as he says: 'I got it'However, Harry and Meghan's autumn diary still appears to be heavily laden with public engagements in the midst of the ongoing disagreements.Harry is due to have a pseudo-royal appearance at the inaugural 'Invictus Spirit' Awards this Thursday. There are even rumours that the duchess could join him at the glitzy event.This public appearance has already caused a major clash in the royal calendar with William and Catherine's 'royal away-day' visit to the Isle of Bute on the same day, announced on Friday.Once there, the Prince and Princess of Wales are due to visit Rothesay, the town that inspired the name of the titles they hold in Scotland – that of Duke and Duchess of Rothesay – where they will spend time with locals at the Anchor Tavern.The King has a major public engagement at the same time, as it was announced that he would attend a meeting with global AI chiefs in hopes that it could be developed for 'the good of humanity'.Other engagements for Harry this month include the launch of the Invictus education programme INSPIRE.Afterwards, there's the WellChild Awards in London on September 21, a charity for ill children and their families, which the prince has been involved with since his earliest days as a working royal.Meanwhile, Meghan has been mulling over a 'return to charity work' once Archie and Lilibet settle into their new life.A source close to the Duchess said 'she wants to pick up with a lot of people' now that she is back.It is understood to include Smart Works, a charity supporting unemployed, vulnerable women looking for jobs, which Meghan is wishing to rekindle public support for.She held four patronages after she wed Harry in 2018, but Smart Works was the only one she continued to support after she stopped working as a royal. 'She is thinking about plans for how she can get more involved and support the causes she was supporting and was passionate about again, and new causes too,' the source previously told The Sunday Times.There have also been rumours that she would return to acting after Guy Ritchie was believed to have offered her a role in his hit TV show The Gentlemen, which was quickly revoked following massive backlash against the decision.