Celebrity / News
Netflix Cancels Millions Contract With Prince Harry And Meghan Markle
Netflix is ending its collaboration with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex due to disappointing viewership and results.
Five years after signing a mega-contract, the collaboration between Netflix and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex is coming to an end. The streaming service has decided not to renew the $100 million contract with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, which has been in effect since 2020. Once touted as promising, the deal has not lived up to expectations.
According to sources close to the platform, there are no disputes. The collaboration is said to have simply run its course. However, a second season of the series With Love, Meghan is still set to be released this fall, despite the first season's low viewership. Since its launch on March 4, it never rose higher than number 383 on the global Netflix rankings.
The other major project, Heart of Invictus, for which Harry signed on as an executive producer, premiered on December 10 but was viewed by barely half a million people. Only the much-discussed docuseries Harry & Meghan from 2022 was a success and remains noted as the most-watched documentary debut on the platform.
Netflix confirms through insiders that the success of the docuseries was sufficient reason for a follow-up, but that this also marks the last project they will contribute to. "They delivered what they needed to deliver, but it's clear that the audience has since moved on," said an anonymous source to The Sun.
Despite the disappointing numbers, Meghan was able to launch her lifestyle brand As Ever through With Love, Meghan. According to Netflix chief Ted Sarandos, the platform played a passive role in that development. "For us, it's a way to explore new content and ideas without directly investing ourselves," he explained earlier.
According to sources close to the platform, there are no disputes. The collaboration is said to have simply run its course. However, a second season of the series With Love, Meghan is still set to be released this fall, despite the first season's low viewership. Since its launch on March 4, it never rose higher than number 383 on the global Netflix rankings.
Harry's Project Also Flopped
The other major project, Heart of Invictus, for which Harry signed on as an executive producer, premiered on December 10 but was viewed by barely half a million people. Only the much-discussed docuseries Harry & Meghan from 2022 was a success and remains noted as the most-watched documentary debut on the platform.
Netflix confirms through insiders that the success of the docuseries was sufficient reason for a follow-up, but that this also marks the last project they will contribute to. "They delivered what they needed to deliver, but it's clear that the audience has since moved on," said an anonymous source to The Sun.
Markle Moves On Elsewhere
Despite the disappointing numbers, Meghan was able to launch her lifestyle brand As Ever through With Love, Meghan. According to Netflix chief Ted Sarandos, the platform played a passive role in that development. "For us, it's a way to explore new content and ideas without directly investing ourselves," he explained earlier.
