Netflix Staff Make Startling Allegations About Meghan Markle's Conduct
Multiple insiders at streaming giant Netflix have reportedly accused Meghan Markle of employing "odd methods of providing feedback" during business meetings, including disappearing from Zoom calls for extended periods to signal her offense at comments made. According to three separate sources who briefed Variety writer Matt Donnelly, the Duchess of Sussex would vanish for "long periods" during video conferences, with Netflix teams later being informed her absence was due to being offended by something said.
Legal Response and Childcare Explanation
The Sussexes' lawyer Michael J Kump responded angrily to these allegations before publication, stating categorically that if Meghan ever left her screen, it was to tend to her children as a working mother - not out of anger. In a detailed letter to Variety, Kump explained that Meghan "works from home, is the mother of young children aged 4 and 6, and often encounters (as many parents who work from home do) children who enter the space unexpectedly during a meeting." He emphasized her consciousness about "shielding her team from the distraction of children" and noted that "nearly all professionals can attest to needing to turn off the audio or camera during a virtual meeting at some point during many hours of virtual business calls."
Allegations of Talking Over Prince Harry
The Variety feature further alleged that Meghan would "talk over or recast Prince Harry's thoughts, sometimes while he is in mid-sentence" during both virtual and in-person meetings with partners. Sources claimed this behavior was usually preceded by "a touch to the arm or thigh." Prince Harry himself reportedly stated it is "categorically false" that his wife would talk over him, while lawyer Kump accused Variety of falling into "misogynistic characterisation of her bossing her husband around."
Netflix Partnership Under Strain
The explosive article paints a picture of significant strain in the relationship between Netflix and the Sussexes, whose company Archewell Productions is accused of "poor communication" in dealings with the streaming service. According to Variety's sources, Netflix executives are said to be "done" with Harry and Meghan, with one insider revealing: "The mood in the building is 'We're done.'" The publication claims the couple's "bedside manner has ruffled feathers in meetings" while "lacklustre" ratings for shows like With Love, Meghan have led to serious doubts at the streamer.
High-Level Denials and Counterclaims
Both Netflix and the Sussexes' representatives have strongly denied many of the article's most damaging claims. Netflix chief content officer Bela Bajaria declared of the Variety piece: "I would say don't believe whatever you read." The streaming giant specifically denied claims that Netflix chief Ted Sarandos is "fed up with the pair" and would only take calls with Meghan "unless a lawyer was present on the line," calling this "absolutely inaccurate." Lawyer Kump described this particular allegation as "blatantly false," asserting that Meghan speaks and texts regularly with Sarandos and has "been to his home, sans lawyers."
Broader Context of the Netflix Deal
The feature examines the Sussexes' multi-year deal with Netflix, reportedly worth around £45 million, suggesting the partnership has been "far from a fairy tale." According to Variety, Netflix was "annoyed" by the couple's decision to give a tell-all interview to Oprah Winfrey following their departure from royal life and was "blindsided again" by Harry's decision to publish his memoir Spare. The magazine suggests executives felt both projects affected their documentary with the pair, though a Sussexes spokesman insists they cooperated with Netflix throughout.
Future Prospects in Question
Despite Netflix's public commitment to the couple through a "first look" deal, Variety reports that "A-list talent and directors" are "hesitant to work with the pair" given their track record, with several projects allegedly being canceled. The magazine concludes by questioning whether the Sussexes are "really living the Hollywood dream they imagined" after "half a decade of inconsistent shows, strategic shifts, false starts and a diminished hold on the popular imagination." These revelations come shortly after Netflix reportedly parted ways with Meghan's lifestyle brand, As Ever, though a Sussexes spokesman told Variety there would continue to be "seasonal specials."
