The Sussexes’ days on Netflix may not be over if Prince Harry and Meghan Markle can handle the costs. The famous couple teamed up with the streaming giant in 2020, signing a whopping $100 million deal. Unfortunately, the contract was not as lucrative as the platform believed, with multiple projects failing to gain any hype.
Besides the controversial 2022 docuseries Harry & Meghan, Netflix has failed to reach its audience with the couple’s projects. However, the tides may change with the recent release of Meghan’s cooking show, With Love, Meghan. If successful enough, the profits may convince Netflix to renew its relationship with the duo this Summer.
However, the streaming giant has learned a valuable lesson from its first contract with Harry and Meghan. On that note, sources implied Netflix will renegotiate its terms with the Sussexes, meaning less money for the couple. Royal expert Richard Eden, per We Got This Covered, said:
“All the indications are that a deal of some sort will be renewed when the contract expires. It almost certainly will not be on the terms that were originally agreed.”
Meghan Markle’s Netflix Collaboration Hit With Criticisms
Besides her new cooking show, Meghan and Netflix teamed up to launch her lifestyle business As Ever. We covered the news, reporting she rebranded her business’ name from American Riviera Orchard to As Ever. Unfortunately for the Duchess of Sussex, her brand’s new name sparked criticisms.
She was accused of plagiarism and faced potential legal action from the mayor of Porreres in Majorca. The drama began when a New York-based clothing brand named As Ever turned to social media for help. The small business owner lamented the possible negative impact of Meghan’s identical brand name on his own.
The owner argued that his brand had existed since 2015 and implored Meghan to change her brand’s name. He claimed the change was necessary to avoid running him out of business. On the other hand, Porreres’ mayor called out the duchess for allegedly copying the town’s coat of arms in her brand’s logo.
The Hope for a New Netflix Contract May Rest on Meghan Markle’s Shoulders
The continued relationship between Harry, Meghan, and Netflix may rest solely on the duchess’s shoulders. Besides her cooking show making waves, her rebrand business needs to sort out the drama surrounding its name and logo. Royal author Hugo Vickers shared his thoughts on the matter, noting new brands commonly experience “teething issues.”
However, in Meghan’s case, he suspected the former actress had the unfortunate ability to attract criticism. “She’s bound to be just being attacked because people want to attack her, and maybe actually, they’re also jumping on the bandwagon,” Vickers explained. He added that this could affect her relationship with Netflix, saying:
“A company like Netflix wants value for money. They have to deliver… I suspect that if it doesn’t work, then it’ll get axed like everything else because that’s what happens in the commercial world. You sink or swim. It’s a tough world out there.”
Will Meghan Markle’s public image influence her and Prince Harry’s continued relationship with Netflix?
