Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s projects with Netflix are being described as an “expensive failure” after underwhelming results from much of their content since signing with the streaming giant.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex entered into a $100 million agreement with Netflix in 2020 after stepping back from their roles as senior working royals and relocating to the United States. The deal initially promised a steady stream of exclusive content from the couple.
Their first major release, the six-part docuseries Harry & Meghan, drew global attention and broke records on Netflix. However, analysts point out that the success of the documentary has not been repeated in their subsequent projects.
Edward Coram-James, CEO of the communications agency Go Up, told The Express that the couple’s initial contract failed to deliver value for the streaming platform. “Expensive failure is a harsh, yet arguably an accurate label from Netflix’s perspective for the first deal. You have to look at the numbers and the deliverables,” he said.
“They reportedly paid $100 million for exclusive rights to a wide range of content. What did they get? Primarily, the Harry & Meghan documentary and some smaller projects like the Polo series and Meghan’s With Love,” he continued.
Coram-James acknowledged that the docuseries was a financial success but noted its limitations. “The Harry & Meghan doc was a massive commercial hit, no doubt, but it was essentially a one-time event that leveraged their personal royal story. The other projects haven’t had the same impact.”
He pointed specifically to the lackluster performance of the couple’s other work. “The Polo docuseries reportedly drew a tiny audience, and while With Love, Meghan has been renewed for an upcoming second season, it’s not a global sensation,” he added.
Amid speculation that Netflix would decline to extend the arrangement, the couple recently confirmed a new deal with the platform. Unlike the original multi-year, multi-project contract, this new agreement offers Netflix first-look rights on individual projects, reflecting the company’s shift away from expansive, long-term commitments.
Industry observers suggest that Harry and Meghan will need to deliver consistent, widely appealing content if they hope to maintain their relationship with the streaming service. While their personal story once guaranteed attention, the challenge now lies in proving they can sustain viewership beyond the intrigue of royal drama.
For Netflix, the focus appears to be on ensuring future projects justify the investment — something critics argue was lacking in the pair’s original deal.