Netflix chief content officer Bela Bajaria has publicly denied recent claims that the streaming giant's partnership with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle is deteriorating. Speaking at the Next on Netflix event on Wednesday, Bajaria reiterated that the company still has a relationship with the couple, with projects in development on both the TV and film sides.
Bajaria's comments come after a scathing report from Variety, citing insider sources, alleged that the Sussexes were difficult to work with and that their deal had suffered. The report claimed that Netflix had parted ways with Meghan's brand As Ever, which had received financial support from the streamer. Bajaria dismissed the speculation, stating: 'Deals come and go all the time, and we don’t renew so many deals, those just don’t get as much press for obvious reasons. There’s no juicy story there.'
Despite Bajaria's reassurances, another Netflix insider told the Daily Mail that staff would not air grievances publicly, adding: 'I don’t think anyone is going to be killing themselves with an effort to work with them at this point.' The couple signed a new 'multi-year, first look deal' with Netflix in 2025, considered a downgrade from their initial $100 million (£74 million) agreement in 2020.
The Variety report also alleged poor communication from Archewell Productions and claimed Meghan would talk over Harry in meetings. Meghan's lawyer Michael J. Kump dismissed the claims as 'misogynistic', while Prince Harry called them 'categorically false'. The report further suggested Netflix bosses were blindsided by the couple's 2021 Oprah interview and Harry's memoir Spare, though a spokesman for the Sussexes insisted they co-operated with Netflix throughout.
