A Netflix executive has dismissed reports claiming the streaming giant had a bitter falling out with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle following their high-profile production deal.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex signed their first agreement with Netflix in 2020 after stepping back from their roles as senior members of the British royal family. Since then, the couple has produced several projects for the platform through their Archewell Productions banner.
However, a recent Variety report suggested the partnership between the Sussexes and Netflix had soured. The report cited “six well-placed sources” who claimed the couple’s deal with the company was effectively finished and that executives were growing frustrated with what they described as “repackaged” content.
The report also alleged that the performance of Meghan Markle’s lifestyle series With Love, Meghan had been “lacklustre,” and suggested that Netflix had distanced itself from the duchess’ lifestyle brand, As Ever.
But Netflix Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria pushed back against those claims while speaking at the Next on Netflix event on Wednesday. Addressing the reports directly, Bajaria urged people not to take everything they read at face value.
“Don’t believe whatever you read,” she said. “Maybe we should all do a little fact-checking.” Bajaria also emphasized that Netflix still maintains a working relationship with the Sussexes and that new projects are currently being developed.
“But here’s the thing, we still have a relationship with them. We have movies in development with them. We had an amazing talk with them. They have things in Development on the TV and film side.” According to the executive, changes to production deals are a routine part of the entertainment industry and should not necessarily be interpreted as a sign of conflict.
She explained that many agreements at Netflix come to an end or evolve over time, but those developments rarely generate headlines. “Deals come and go all the time,” Bajaria said, adding that numerous agreements simply conclude without attracting much public attention.
“Those don’t get as much press for obvious reasons,” she noted. “So, there’s no juicy story there.” Despite the recent speculation, Bajaria’s remarks suggest that Netflix and the Sussexes remain in active discussions about future projects, even as their existing arrangements continue to evolve.
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