Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s five-year Netflix deal will likely expire quietly, experts tell Fox News Digital following reports it won’t be renewed.
“There are whispers that Harry and Meghan’s Netflix deal will expire quietly. I can’t imagine that either party would want to shout this news over the rooftops. They will hope it’s a smooth transition,” British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard tells Fox News Digital.
She says the Sussexes’ “star attraction has taken a nose dive.”
The royal couple signed the five-year deal with Netflix in 2020, shortly after they stepped down as senior royals and left the U.K.
Their debut docuseries “Harry & Meghan” remains the streaming platform’s most-watched debut, according to People magazine, but their other series such as “With Love, Meghan” and “Heart of Invictus” haven’t fared as well.
“The majority of their material has received poor viewing figures and there doesn’t seem to be suitable appeal for any new productions starring the duo,” Chard adds. “The court of public opinion is key here. The public do not feel kindly toward them. They trashed their family, created a huge amount of damage and monetized off of the back of the attacks.”
Royal expert Ian Pelham Turner tells Fox News Digital that the loss of the Netflix deal will be a “major blow” for the couple and could incentivize them to move back to the U.K. as has been a rumored consideration recently.
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“They obviously have a lavish lifestyle, and it was always thought that Netflix saw the duo as the jewel in the crown for their platform,” he says.
He adds that “Meghan has become the Harry Houdini in sorting out financial safety,” and “other platforms of equal note may make counteroffers. They are certainly not down and out yet.”
Indeed, even if the Netflix deal isn’t renewed this September, the second season of Markle’s lifestyle series “With Love, Meghan” will be premiering around the same time and the couple could be poised to sign a first-look deal with the platform for any projects they have on the horizon.
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Royal expert Hilary Fordwich agrees that Netflix would prefer the contract quietly expire.
“Cancellation is a proper response to ghastly ratings since the only project they produced with financial benefit to Netflix was their initial mudslinging at the royal family docuseries ‘Harry & Meghan,’” she says. “It was rather foolish to have filmed two seasons without even waiting to inculcate the audience response to the first season of MM’s lifestyle show [With Love, Meghan].”
She adds that audiences were “more interested in lurid royal betrayals than actually anything to do with the couple or high ratings would have continued. Public fascination was merely driven by the controversy and inside royal details being spewed, but neither H nor M themselves have proven to be of interest… Their betrayal of their own family was tasteless and tacky. This negative sentiment was also felt on both sides of the Atlantic, given their pitiful plummet in popularity. ”
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Markle has recently seen success with the launch of her lifestyle brand As Ever, which has repeatedly sold out of its limited featured products such as candles and jam.
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams says he sees Netflix’s partnership in As Ever as the only reason the platform would want to renew part of the deal.
“Their CEO Ted Sarandos did praise Meghan relatively recently, but he hadn’t seen the terrible ratings which showed ‘With Love, Meghan,’ her much-touted cookery series, had been almost totally ignored by viewers,” he says.
Fitzwilliams says the couple were warned that Harry’s “Polo” documentary wouldn’t do well because it’s an “elitist” sport, and although “Heart of Invictus” was “worthy,” it was “never likely to draw in the crowds.”
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“What did was ‘Harry & Meghan,’ the six-part docuseries which trashed the royal family,” he says. “That, it seems, is all they have to offer. ‘With Love, Meghan’ series 2, was unwisely filmed back to back with the first and almost certainly will flop.”
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He adds, “Without the reported $100 million contract with Netflix, having been dropped by Spotify and with no plans to do further podcasts in the ‘Confessions of a Female Founder’ series, the Sussexes hopes rest on Meghan making a success of As Ever. This leaves Harry with little to do. If they don’t exploit their royal connections, it will emphasize yet again that the Sussexes have precious little to offer and this will be humiliating.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to Archewell and Netflix for comment.
