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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been accused of using their son Archie as "clickbait" after he spoke on their Spotify podcast.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex released the first episode of Archewell Audio just after Christmas, featuring cameos including from Stacey Abrams, Elton John, Naomi Osaka, James Corden, and Tyler Perry.
However, alongside the celebrity guests was the far more rare appearance of their toddler son, who turns two in May.
Meghan asks "Archie, is it fun?" before the youngster replies "fun."
Harry then helps the toddler say "happy new year," one word at a time, starting by saying: "After me. Ready? Happy."
Royal biographer Duncan Larcombe, author of Prince Harry: The Inside Story, told online chat show The Royal Beat: "Because there is money involved, it isn't a charitable thing.
"What a surprise [that] more family silver is out for sale—let's use Archie as clickbait. Maybe [Harry] is going to be the 'billion heir royal.'"
He added: "A year ago they [Harry and Meghan] were saying they want privacy and to bring their child up in peace—codswallop! We now know what it is.
"The evidence is there. It was the biggest royal sellout in the history of the family."
Prince Harry and Meghan have signed multi-year deals with Spotify and Netflix estimated to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars collectively.
They have fiercely defended Archie's right to privacy through lawsuits in California and London against the paparazzi over pictures of their son.
Larcombe's criticism also echoes Meghan's own attacks on the media after she denounced "clickbait" in both a chat with The 19th News and also her privacy case against The Mail on Sunday.
Larcombe told The Royal Beat: "What Harry and Meghan have done over the past 12 months is sow seeds which will spell potential catastrophe to the royal family.
"When 50 million people are watching Harry's chat about organic yogurt or whatever it is that he wants to promote, and 5,000 people are watching his brother, Prince William, the future king, do a royal engagement, opening a supermarket in Hemel Hempstead or whatever, that is when it becomes a problem."
Katie Nicholl, author of Harry and Meghan: Life, Loss and Love, told the show Prince William would object to his brother using a photograph of their mother on his website.
Archewell.com shows a picture of Harry as a child on Princess Diana's shoulders alongside one of Meghan hugging mother Doria Ragland.
The text reads: "I am my mother's son. And I am our son's mother. Together we bring you Archewell."
Nicholl said: "I think William will be concerned with that."
She added: "Harry trying to take ownership of the Diana legacy will be a problem.
"But also Harry doing mental health, Harry doing conservations, these are the issues that William and Kate want to do.
"That's where I predict tensions."
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's spokesperson declined to comment.
About the writer
Jack Royston is Newsweek's Chief Royal Correspondent based in London, U.K. He reports on the British royal family—including King Charles ... Read more