Prince Harry is said to have left Netflix bosses “upset” after the release of his explosive autobiography threatened to overshadow a flagship project for the streaming giant, an insider has claimed.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex inked a blockbuster £75 million deal with Netflix in 2020, shortly after stepping back from royal duties, with the agreement set to run until 2025.
Their first major collaboration, the hit documentary Harry & Meghan, dropped in December 2022 just weeks before the Duke’s memoir hit shelves in January 2023, sparking fears at Netflix that the timing could derail their high-profile venture.
While the documentary drew massive viewership, the Sussexes’ subsequent projects have struggled to match its impact.
One source told the Mail that Netflix now considers their original £75 million deal signed in 2020 and set to run until 2025 which was an “expensive failure.”
On Monday afternoon, however, Prince Harry, Meghan, and Netflix attempted to turn the page, announcing a fresh multi-year partnership. This new agreement is reportedly worth only a fraction of the original sum.
“It’s not much,” one insider told Page Six. “It’s no risk for Netflix but saves them both reputationally.”
In a statement about the renewed 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.”