Life after royalty: what are these princesses’ jobs now? Meghan Markle has a deal with Netflix while Princess Märtha Louise is a clairvoyant

Nov 1 , 2021

Find out why these princesses decided to change their lives and leave the royal family! Photos: @princessmarthalouise/Instagram, @oprahdaily/Instagram, @royaltyfashion22/Instagram, @royalworldthailand/Instagram

What is life after leaving the royal family? These princesses – and duchess – prove that it is anything but boring. They may have given up their respective titles and certain privileges, but they can easily argue that it was worth it.

While the likes of Japan’s Princess Nori and Thailand’s Princess Ubolratana initially quit royalty for love, they eventually used their new-found freedom to carve out a strong career path.

Let’s take a look at what these royals-turned-career-women do for a living now.

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Princess Märtha Louise – clairvoyant and children’s book author

Princess Märtha Louise. Photo: @princessmarthalouise/Instagram

The only daughter and firstborn child of Norway’s King Harald V and Queen Sonja, Märtha Louise gave up the title of “her royal highness” to marry commoner and author, the late Ari Behn, in 2002. Just a few years after that, she became a clairvoyant and co-founded an “angel school” that teaches students how to communicate with “angels”.

Princess Märtha Louise and her boyfriend Shaman Durek. Photo: @princessmarthalouise/Instagram

In 2019, Märtha announced on her Instagram that she would also drop the title of princess for her business activities after being accused of exploiting her title for her tour “The Princess and the Shaman” with boyfriend and spiritual adviser Shaman Durek. According to Dagens Næringsliv, the palace also released a press release confirming her decision.

She also penned the popular children’s story, Why Kings and Queens Don’t Wear Crowns.

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Princess Nori – priestess

Princess Nori. Photo: @royalworldthailand/Instagram

Princess Nori currently serves as the supreme priestess at the Ise Grand Shrine, which is the most important Shinto sanctuary in Japan. She is the youngest child of Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko and is a former ornithologist.

Princess Sakayo of Japan. Photo: @rozsagastonauthor/Instagram

Now commonly known as Sayako Kuroda, this Japanese princess lost her imperial title and left the imperial family upon tying the knot with non-royal Yoshiki Kuroda back in 2005.

Meghan Markle – executive producer and children’s book author

Meghan Markle in her interview with Oprah Winfrey. Photo: @oprahdaily/Instagram

After Meghan Markle and Prince Harry decided to be financially independent and take a step back from the British royal family, Markle shifted her career focus to Archewell Inc., which includes the couple’s non-profit charitable foundation, and media and audio production company.

Meghan Markle reading her children’s book The Bench. Photo: @_meghanmarkle_belgique/Instagram

As part of their massive production deals with Netflix, Markle is set to executive produce documentaries, feature films, television shows and children’s programming with the streaming giant. In 2021, the duchess also published her first children’s book, The Bench and swiftly added “New York Times bestselling author” to her growing post-royal résumé.

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Princess Ubolratana – philanthropist

Princess Ubolratana of Thailand. Photo: @princessubolratana/Instagram

The firstborn child of Thailand’s late King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit, Princess Ubolratana relinquished her royal title after marrying American citizen and university sweetheart Peter Jensen in 1972. Three years after their divorce in 1998, Princess Ubolratana moved back to Thailand and found her way back to high society.

Princess Ubolratana. Photo: @princessubolratana/Instagram

She tried to run as a candidate for prime minister in 2019 but her younger brother, King Maha Vajiralongkorn, quickly blocked her bid. According to the Thai monarch, it was “inappropriate” for members of the royal family to enter politics.

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Princess Ameerah – philanthropist and entrepreneur

Princess Ameerah. Photo: @royaltyfashion22/Instagram

Princess Ameerah was previously a member of the House of Saud, the ruling royal family of Saudi Arabia, through her marriage to Prince Alwaleed bin Talal in 2008. Even after their split in 2013, she has remained in the spotlight as a celebrated philanthropist and entertainment company founder and CEO.

Princess Ameerah. Photo: @ameerahaltaweel9/Instagram

A fierce advocate for women’s civil rights and empowerment, Princess Ameerah speaks up on significant issues such as women’s right to drive, access to equal inheritance and child custody upon divorce.

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Royalty

Norway’s Princess Märtha married a shaman and is now a clairvoyant while Japan’s Princess Nori is now simply Sayako Kuroda – and a supreme priestess
Princess Ameerah, ex-wife of a Saudi Arabian prince, and Meghan Markle both focused on charity and founded their own media companies