Netflix has decided not to renew its lucrative deal with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, ending a partnership that saw the couple paid $100m (£75m) but ultimately failed to deliver sustained success. The streaming giant's decision, reported by People, marks the collapse of Harry and Meghan's ambition to become a content-creating powerhouse.
The couple initially proved a ratings hit: their 2022 documentary series 'Harry & Meghan' broke Netflix's first-week viewing record, and Prince Harry's memoir 'Spare' became the fastest-selling non-fiction book ever. However, subsequent projects failed to replicate that success. An animated series 'Pearl' was scrapped during development, while 'Live to Lead' – a series of interviews with world leaders – drew criticism from former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern for repurposing an old interview without her knowledge.
Later offerings performed poorly. 'Heart of Invictus', following competitors in Prince Harry's Invictus Games, attracted only 300,000 viewers. 'Polo', a documentary about the elite sport, ranked a lowly 3,436th on Netflix's most-watched list for the first half of 2025. 'With Love, Meghan', a lifestyle series starring the Duchess, placed 389th and was widely criticised as tone-deaf amid a cost-of-living crisis.
According to Page Six, Netflix has not severed all ties: the couple may be offered a first-look deal similar to that of Barack and Michelle Obama's Higher Ground Productions. This would allow them to develop projects such as an adaptation of Carley Fortune's novel 'Meet Me at the Lake' and an Africa-based series, though likely with far less funding than the original deal.
