Prince Harry and Meghan Markle‘s Netflix deal, deemed disappointing to many, is hinting at a more catastrophic ending. The Sussexes signed a mega deal worth $128 million with Netflix in 2020 following their step back from royal duties. Since then, the duo have released only a handful of projects via their production company, Archewell Productions, with at least two more in the works. The couple’s failure to produce sufficient shows in line with the contract could spell doom for their future collaborations, as did their shortlived Spotify deal.
Speculations about the outcome of the Netflix contract upon its expiration in 2025 has trailed the media. While many believe Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are eager to terminate the Netflix contract, others claim the end of the deal would plunge the Sussexes into financial decadence. Hence, they could be desperate to hold on to it at all costs.
Royal author Tom Quinn rides on the latter theorem, and believes Harry and Meghan the architect of their impending doom. Speaking to The Mirror, the royal author divulged,
“It’s very likely to be a repeat of the problem with the couple’s Spotify contract which came to an abrupt end in 2023 after Harry and Meghan failed, according to a Spotify spokesperson, to meet ‘productivity benchmarks.”
Tom Quinn also explained how losing the Netflix deal would crush Meghan Markle’s ambition to build a successful commercial enterprise. According to him, the actress-turned-duchess believed she could recover from the blow of their severed Spotify ties using her “drive and talent.” However, that ambition is yet to see the light of day. Even worse, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle seem to be falling into the same pattern with Netflix, falling short of the content benchmark. The implication could entail forging alliance with another company, far less successful than the global streaming giant. He divulged,
“The loss of the Netflix contract would be a major blow and one from which it would be all but impossible to recover. The last thing Meghan wants is the humiliation of trying to set up a deal with a much smaller company – the way things are going even that might not be a possibility.”
At this point, a way out would be creating impressive content for the streaming giant, something they reportedly struggle to achieve. With other possibilities looking bleak or unbefitting, the fate of the Sussexes’ Archewell Productions and Meghan’s claim to fame may depend solely on Netflix’s decision come 2025.
