As with all things Harry and Meghan, the story quickly went around the world. Reports that the couple’s five-year deal with Netflix will not be renewed when it expires in September first surfaced last week and immediately became a talking point. The news that they are to part ways with the streamer was amplified, yet neither Harry, Meghan, nor Netflix said anything publicly.
Town & Country has now heard that suggestions the partnership has ended may have been premature. The radio silence on the subject might have been interpreted as a lack of rebuttal, but it seems is in reality indicative of the fact that things are still being discussed. Delicate and careful negotiations are thought to be underway regarding a new contract when the current one expires.
Harry and Meghan’s original deal, which started in 2020, has always been somewhat shrouded in confusion, with the actual amounts involved never officially confirmed. Widely said to be worth $100 million, five shows have been aired; docuseries Harry & Meghan, Heart of Invictus about the Games Prince Harry founded, Polo about the sport Harry plays for charity, Live to Lead about leaders committed to making a difference and, most recently, With Love, Meghan.
The programs that have been made have had varying degrees of success, with the first docuseries achieving the streamer’s biggest single-day audience to that date. With Love, Meghan has also pulled in viewers despite mixed reviews. The polo documentary did not do well on either front.
Yet one area which has been somewhat skirted over amidst the discussion about the partnership ending is the fact that Netflix remains a partner in her product range As Ever. “Netflix came on, not just as my partner in the show but as my partner in my business, which was huge,” Meghan said on an Instagram post in February this year. Netflix promotes the range online but the specifics of the set-up have not been made public. CEO Ted Sarandos told Variety magazine that Netflix was “a passive partner in Meghan’s company, and it’s a big discovery model for us right now.” Generally, a passive partner would suggest investment without involvement in management, but again no details of the arrangement have been made public.
However, during Sarandos’s interview in March he was very clear about one thing—he sees Harry and Meghan as a big draw. “I think Meghan is underestimated in terms of her influence on culture,” Sarandos said. “When we dropped the trailer for the “Harry & Meghan” doc series [in 2022], everything on-screen was dissected in the press for days. The shoes she was wearing sold out all over the world. The Hermès blanket that was on the chair behind her sold out everywhere in the world. People are fascinated with Meghan Markle. She and Harry are overly dismissed.” Watch this space.
Town & Country Contributing Editor Victoria Murphy has reported on the British Royal Family since 2010. She has interviewed Prince Harry and has travelled the world covering several royal tours. She is a frequent contributor to Good Morning America. Victoria authored Town & Country book The Queen: A Life in Pictures, released in 2021.