Harry and Meghan moved to California in 2020 after dramatically quitting royal life
AFP

KEY POINTS

  • Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were spotted in California Friday
  • The royal couple held hands while leaving a building
  • Prince Harry wore a polo shirt and baseball cap for the outing

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle looked happy together in their latest sighting.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex looked unbothered when they were out and about in Santa Barbara, California Friday. In the photos obtained by Page Six, they were all smiles as they held hands while leaving an office building. They were accompanied by a man who appeared to be a bodyguard.

Markle, 41, wore a white button-up tucked into brown shorts. She accessorized with sunglasses, layers of bracelets and a white hat. Meanwhile, Prince Harry dressed casually for the outing, wearing a polo shirt, a baseball cap and shades.

The royal couple's outing came weeks after Spotify decided not to renew Markle's "Archetypes" podcast after one season and axe its $20 million deal with them. A poll also showed that their popularity ratings were at an all-time low.

A recent report from Rolling Stone claimed the Sussexes are in their "flop era." Meanwhile, an unnamed source alleged that the Sussexes blamed the COVID-19 pandemic and bad luck because they were "repeatedly unlucky." There were rumors that Netflix might also cancel their deal. However, the streaming giant shut down the speculations, announcing that it has several projects in the works with Prince Harry and Markle.

"We value our partnership with Archewell Productions," Netflix's rep said. "'Harry & Meghan' was Netflix's biggest documentary debut ever, and we'll continue to work together on a number of projects, including the upcoming documentary series 'Heart of Invictus.'"

The Sussexes' sweet outing in public also came amid rumors that they were splitting. The pair sparked rumors that their marriage was on the rocks when they didn't mark their fifth wedding anniversary in May.

Many also noticed that Markle didn't join her husband when he promoted his memoir, "Spare," earlier this year. She also did not join Prince Harry in the United Kingdom for King Charles' coronation.

Prince Harry's biographer Angela Levin claimed in a recent interview that their marriage was "very nearly finished." The British journalist and royal author appeared on Sky News Australia's "Paul Murray Live" podcast and spoke about the rumors surrounding Prince Harry and Markle's relationship.

"I think that the marriage is very nearly finished, and it will be," Levin told Paul Murray. "She will sort of walk away. She's not there when she's needed."

She continued, "But now, she doesn't go where he goes. They've just sort of separated."

Prince Harry (left) and his wife Meghan Markle (right) stunned the monarchy by announcing they were quitting royal duties and moving to the United States in early 2020
AFP