Harry and Meghan sign with A-list agency to hit the speaking circuit

The pair is being represented by the New York-based Harry Walker Agency, whose roster of speakers includes Barack and Michelle Obama, Bill and Hillary Clinton and Oprah Winfrey, the person said on Wednesday.

The move is one of the first major steps by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to engage in paid work beyond the British royal family after they announced plans in January to lead a more independent life and to finance it themselves. They now live in Los Angeles with their 1-year-old son Archie, according to media reports.

The couple's speaking engagements will focus on issues such as racial justice, gender equity, the environment and mental health, an important topic to Prince Harry who has talked publicly about his struggles with grief following the death of his mother, Princess Diana.

The pair will speak together and individually, the person familiar with their plans said.

The arrangement with Harry Walker, owned by media company Endeavor, was first reported by the Los Angeles Times.

The speaking circuit can be lucrative for high-profile celebrities. Big-name speakers can earn six figures for a single appearance.

Meghan recently narrated a Disney nature documentary and Harry teamed with Winfrey for an upcoming mental health documentary. Both projects were in the works before they stepped back from the royal family.