Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have received news that puts the most ambitious project they undertook after stepping away from the Crown in jeopardy. A decision made by one of the most powerful entertainment companies has dealt a blow that many consider final for their media aspirations.
Five years after breaking with the Crown to pursue their independence, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are seeing one of their main sources of income vanish. While those close to them remain silent, in the United Kingdom people are already talking about the beginning of the end of their American adventure. What has really happened?
Major blow for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: Netflix ends its deal with the couple
When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle signed a $100 million contract with Netflix in 2020, they presented it as a firm step toward their financial autonomy. Through Archewell Productions, their company, they planned to produce innovative content and build a global brand far from the rigid royal protocols.
During these years, they have released five productions that combined documentary, entertainment, and social messaging. However, with the arrival of the new season, the open secret is confirmed: the platform will not renew its deal with them. "The deal is closed, there won't be any more shows," a source close to the newspaper The Sun stated.
The truth is that Netflix believes "they've already gotten everything they could from the couple." For this reason, the time has come to close the cycle. This business decision has been made without much fanfare, but with a clear impact on the Sussexes' public image.
According to internal sources at the platform, the contractual relationship with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will end in September this year. Although there won't be an official statement, everything suggests the ending will be discreet and final. A spokesperson put it clearly: "The couple's lucrative contract is dead, they're just waiting for the final credits to roll."
The latest project starring Meghan Markle, With Love, Meghan, has been the trigger for this outcome. The lifestyle and cooking format barely reached rank 383 in the semiannual audience report, with 5.3 million views. "It had everything going for it: name, platform, press... and the numbers were discouraging," a Netflix source told The Sun.
The contrast has been especially painful. While their new show was sinking, reruns of Suits, the series Meghan starred in before marrying Harry, were drawing a larger audience. This is an ironic symbol of the Duchess's declining public image.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle can't keep their businesses
Netflix's disappointment is not an isolated event. This blow is compounded by the termination of their contract with Spotify in 2023, valued at $20 million. At that time, Bill Simmons, a senior executive at the platform, stated bluntly: "They're a couple of damn scammers."
Since leaving the Royal Family, Harry and Meghan have tried to capitalize on their international notoriety with high-impact audiovisual products. Their Netflix debut, Harry & Meghan, was a resounding success: more than 28 million views in four days. However, the rest of their productions failed to replicate that phenomenon.
Series such as Leaders of Our Time, Heart of Invictus, or the documentary Polo didn't spark the same interest. Even With Love, Meghan, whose second part is still pending release, didn't manage to capture the audience, despite featuring guests like Chrissy Teigen and Spanish chef José Andrés.
"After the initial excitement, the content kept weakening," industry sources acknowledge. Although Netflix values the mutual respect with the Sussexes, the decision has been made. There won't be new opportunities.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's finances under scrutiny
With the end of their relationship with Netflix, Harry and Meghan's financial future is once again a topic of conversation. According to The Sun, the cost of keeping their staff and their life in Montecito is enormous. For this reason, now, without recurring income of this magnitude, their finances could suffer.
Although Prince Harry received a fund of £8 million (8 million pounds) for his 40th birthday, managed by Elizabeth II, this barely covers their needs. "Harry and Meghan's lifestyle isn't like most people's," the British press reminds us.
Meanwhile, there are rumors that Harry might be considering reaching out to Charles III. Just as his father has signed a documentary for Netflix, ironically the same platform that has closed its doors to his youngest son.
The termination of the contract with Netflix marks a turning point for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The end of their great dream in the audiovisual industry exposes the weaknesses of their economic and identity model. Will they seek redemption, or is this the beginning of a new stage closer to the family they left behind?