The streaming giant made a new agreement with the production company for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex that is significantly smaller than a previous deal
Netflix maintains its connection with Prince Harry and his spouse, Meghan. However, those connections are becoming weaker.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s production company has secured a new agreement with Netflix, the two firms revealed on Monday morning. However, according to someone knowledgeable about the agreement, it holds less value for the royals compared to their previous arrangement with the streaming giant.
In a contract established in 2020, Netflix compensated them for the exclusive rights to material from Archewell Productions, the company owned by the couple. The updated agreement is a first-look deal, allowing Netflix to approve or reject upcoming film or television projects before others have a chance. That provides Harry and Meghan with additional choices, but decreases Netflix’s investment, indicating that the prominent 2020 agreement might not have lived up to expectations.
Archewell planned to produce “inspirational family programming” through documentaries, docuseries, feature films, scripted series, and children’s television as part of its previous agreement. However, it has not produced any children’s programming, feature films, or scripted series
Instead, Archewell has created documentaries and docuseries, such as “Harry & Meghan,” which focuses on the couple’s departure from the Royal Palace. A six-episode series helmed by director Liz Garbus and launched in late 2022, the program attracted 23.4 million views within its initial four days, an all-time high for a documentary on the platform.
Three additional documentary projects came next — “Heart of Invictus,” “Live to Lead,” and “Polo” — but they did not attract the same vast viewership. In March, the company launched “With Love, Meghan,” a series focused on cooking, gardening, and hosting featuring the Duchess. Some criticized the show as disconnected, while others commended it as a delightfully flawed guide on home maintenance.
“With Love, Meghan” has garnered 5.3 million views since its launch, surpassing other culinary programs on the platform. This has enabled Netflix to collaborate directly for the first time with a talent on a consumer brand. Meghan’s online brand “As Ever,” showcased on the program, includes products such as a $28 orange blossom honey and a $14 apricot spread. Netflix produces certain products via its consumer product group and participates in the revenue generated
“The feedback on their efforts is evident,” stated Bela Bajaria, Netflix’s chief content officer. “Fans are thrilled by ‘With Love, Meghan’, as items from the fresh ‘As ever’ collection are rapidly selling out.”
Netflix is not striking as many broad agreements as it used to. It gathered many top talents years back while enhancing its production lineup. Certain individuals, such as the highly successful producer Shonda Rhimes and comedian Adam Sandler, excelled. Others had less success.
Higher Ground, the production firm managed by Barack and Michelle Obama, entered a four-year agreement with Netflix in 2018 — encompassing the company’s complete costs, such as office space, staff salaries, and a budget for creating new projects. It was renewed for an additional two years and then last year shifted to a first-look agreement. Higher Ground received an Academy Award for the documentary “American Factory” and created “Leave the World Behind,” which became one of Netflix’s most successful film hits ever.
According to three individuals familiar with the relationship, tensions have existedbetween Netflix and Archewell over the years
The streaming giant learned of the release date for Harry’s memoir “Spare” only a few months prior to the scheduled debut of the couple’s documentary series, according to sources who requested to remain anonymous. The Netflix series debuted in two parts, on December 8 and December 15. “Spare” came out on January 10. That troubled certain Netflix executives since the book explored similar themes as the series, diminishing the show’s exclusivity.
A spokeswoman for Archewell, Meredith K. Maines, and a representative from Netflix, Emily Feingold, both stated there was no conflict between the two firms, labeling the notion as untrue.
Simultaneously, only a handful of projects other than those centered on the couple have entered production. “Pearl,” an animated family show focusing on a 12-year-old girl, was canceled in 2022 during its development phase. In 2023, Archewell employed a writer to create a script inspired by the book “Meet Me at the Lake” authored by Carley Fortune. The project is still in development, but no director or producer has been assigned yet. On Monday, the firms revealed a new short documentary titled “Masaka Kids, A Rhythm Within,” focusing on a Ugandan orphanage famous for its viral dance videos.
A holiday edition of “With Love, Meghan” is in the works, and season two of “With Love, Meghan” will be available for streaming this month.
“We’re excited to broaden our collaboration with Netflix and enhance our efforts to encompass the As ever brand,” Meghan stated in a press release.
