Why Harry and Meghan’s new Netflix deal is a ‘downgrade’

Britain’s Prince Harry and his wife Meghan have signed a new “multi-year, first-look deal for film and television projects” with Netflix, the couple has announced. Five years ago, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex secured a lucrative contract, thought to be worth more than US$100 million, with the streaming giant after quitting as senior working royals in 2020. The first-look deal, which means Netflix will have the first option on Harry and Meghan’s projects, was described by the Sussexes as “extending their creative partnership”. But PR and crisis expert Mark Borkowski described it as a “downgrade” and suggested Netflix was “pivoting away” from Harry and Meghan. Borkowski said the deal was a long way from the jackpot figure of their original contract. “I think Netflix has done a very neat job of pivoting away from two very expensive people who didn’t deliver, and they’ve taken that deal off the table, and they’ve given them a modest one,” he said. “It’s not like they’re gradually uncoupling. It’s a downgrade. Netflix are not going to expose themselves to those budgets again, and it’s Netflix saying, ‘Well, look, let’s have a look at your content, but we’ll pick and choose, mate.’” Borkowski suggested the Sussexes would now be on a pay-as-you-go deal, where they are paid for productions as and when they are selected by Netflix, rather than receiving an overall amount. “I would be surprised if it’s not pay as you go and it’s well, well below that first mark [of an estimated US$100 million],” Borkoski said. A representative for the Sussexes declined to comment on the financial arrangements of the deal. Meghan said: “We’re proud to extend our partnership with Netflix and expand our work together to include the As Ever brand. “My husband and I feel inspired by our partners who work closely with us and our Archewell Productions team to create thoughtful content across genres that resonates globally and celebrates our shared vision.” Their new output will include a “fun and heartwarming” second season of the duchess’s With Love, Meghan lifestyle show, as well as a “magical holiday celebration” Christmas special in December. Netflix has released a trailer for season two of the show, which revealed that the next instalment will air on August 26. Among the celebrity guests will be US model and television personality Chrissy Teigen, Queer Eye star Tan France, as well as podcaster Jay Shetty and his cookbook author wife, Radhi Devlukia. Also appearing will be chefs Samin Nosrat, Clare Smyth, Christina Tosi, Jose Andres and David Chang, and Meghan’s close friend, Pilates instructor Heather Dorak. Archewell Productions is also working on Masaka Kids, A Rhythm Within, a documentary about orphaned children in Uganda’s Masaka region. This comes after Harry stepped down from Sentebale, the charity he founded to help children orphaned by Aids in Lesotho, following a boardroom battle with the chairwoman. The duke, who is considering starting a new humanitarian charity, has vowed to continue his commitment to supporting youngsters in the region. The documentary will focus on “the heart of Uganda’s Masaka region, where the shadows of the HIV/Aids crisis linger, a small orphanage becomes a beacon of hope”. Netflix said: “Masaka Kids, A Rhythm Within goes beyond the viral videos to reveal a vibrant, one-of-a-kind community where orphaned children transform hardship into joy, dancing their way toward healing, belonging and the promise of a brighter future.” There is also “active development” on other projects with Netflix, which “span a variety of content genres”, including a feature adaptation of the bestselling romantic novel by Carley Fortune, Meet Me at the Lake. The Sussexes’ most successful series has been Harry & Meghan, their controversial tell-all 2022 documentary about stepping back from royal duties and their struggles with the royal family. It totalled 23.4 million views and is Netflix’s fifth most popular documentary series of all time. “Harry and Meghan are influential voices whose stories resonate with audiences everywhere,” said Bela Bajaria, Netflix’s chief content officer. “The response to their work speaks for itself – Harry & Meghan gave viewers an intimate look into their lives and quickly became one of our most-watched documentary series. “More recently, fans have been inspired by With Love, Meghan, with products from the new As Ever line consistently selling out in record time. “We’re excited to continue our partnership with Archewell Productions and to entertain our members together.” Harry’s other ventures included a documentary about polo; Live to Lead, about inspiring leaders; and Heart of Invictus, which follows competitors in the 2022 Invictus Games. Season one of Meghan’s With Love, Meghan lifestyle series, which saw the former Suits actress offer hosting and cooking tips as she entertained friends, was savaged by critics. One review in British newspaper The Guardian described it as a “gormless lifestyle filler” and “so pointless it might be the Sussexes’ last TV show”, while The Telegraph newspaper gave it two stars and called it “insane” and an “exercise in narcissism”. Its release coincided with the launch of Meghan’s As Ever brand, which sells wine, pre-prepared baking kits and jam, and in which Netflix is also a partner. The couple’s other major media deal with Spotify ended in 2023 after one season of Meghan’s podcast Archetypes, with one of the streaming giant’s executives later calling them “grifters”.

Why Harry and Meghan’s new Netflix deal is a ‘downgrade’

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Ahead of With Love, Meghan season two, a PR expert explains how Netflix has pivoted away from ‘two very expensive people who didn’t deliver’

Ahead of With Love, Meghan season two, a PR expert explains how Netflix has pivoted away from ‘two very expensive people who didn’t deliver’