Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are reportedly on edge as the future of their $100 million deal with Netflix remains uncertain, according to royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams. Speaking to the Daily Mail, Fitzwilliams reflected on the waning popularity of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in the United States and its potential repercussions on their brand.
The former royal couple signed a lucrative contract with the streaming giant in 2020, but with the deal set to expire next year, concerns are growing about the sustainability of their partnership. "The Sussex deal runs out next year and Netflix are no longer producing the series of The Crown, as they previously were. They might therefore have less interest in the Sussexes," Fitzwilliams shared.
Despite recently announcing a slew of projects as part of their deal, including Meghan's cooking show and Harry's documentary on polo, Fitzwilliams believes the couple may need more high-profile endorsements to maintain Netflix's interest. "Meghan's programme for Netflix on cookery and entertaining and her lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard and Harry's series for Netflix on polo, show some much-needed activity, but they clearly need more A-list endorsements," he added.
The concerns for the Sussexes and their deal have intensified due to a recent leadership change at Netflix, which saw Dan Lin being appointed to oversee the film production division. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Lin aims to create "fewer, bigger, better" films and series for the platform at lower prices, which could spell trouble for Meghan and Harry. "Gone are the days when Netflix would fork over seemingly unlimited budgets," the outlet warned.
Fitzwilliams also noted that if the couple were to lose their Netflix contract, along with the fact that their charitable foundation, Archewell, has few donors, they "might well be in financial trouble." He added, "Since their exposés of royal life has made megabucks, but little else has made money, the Royal Family better hope that this unpredictable and ruthlessly ambitious couple stays with Netflix."
The royal expert's comments come amid speculation that the Sussexes' commitment to their Netflix deal has been challenged, with some suggesting the contract could soon be terminated. The couple's docuseries, "Harry & Meghan," broke records for the streaming platform, but their subsequent projects, "Heart of Invictus" and "Live to Lead," failed to achieve comparable streaming numbers.
Despite these concerns, Netflix's Chief Content Officer, Bela Bajaria, has revealed that the Sussexes are working on several projects for the platform, including a movie, a scripted series, and a couple of unscripted shows. "They have a couple of unscripted things they're working on with [Netflix VP of nonfiction series] Brandon [Riegg]," Bajaria said. "And they actually have, like, a bunch of development; they have a movie in development, a [scripted] series that they're working on. So all very early development, with a movie, a TV show, and a couple of unscripted shows."
In addition to their work with Netflix, Meghan's "Archetypes" podcast has found a new home with Lemonada Media after being canceled by Spotify. The Duchess of Sussex expressed her excitement about the opportunity, stating, "I'm proud to now be able to share that I am joining the brilliant team at Lemonada to continue my love of podcasting. Being able to support a female-founded company with a roster of thought-provoking and highly entertaining podcasts is a fantastic way to kick off 2024."
