Netflix throws Prince Harry and Meghan Markle a lifeline, but it will ‘almost certainly’ see them take a humiliating hit

It’s been a wild ride, but Prince Harry and Meghan Markle‘s mega-bucks Netflix deal is about to come to an end. Signed back in 2020, in the wake of their split from the Royals, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex initially seemed set to become streaming royalty instead thanks to the splashy first fruit of the deal — the globally headline-generating 2022 docuseries Harry & Meghan.

Unfortunately with their subsequent offerings switching focus to less scandalous subjects like the Invictus Games and polo, nothing Harry and Meghan have made for Netflix since has come anywhere close to being as memorable (or as popular on the streaming charts). Before their agreement comes to an end this summer, the duo have just one more production left in the tank — Meghan’s cookery show, With Love, Meghan, releasing this week.

The good news? The series might just be successful enough to convince Netflix to continue their partnership. The bad news? It definitely won’t have as many zeroes as last time.

Meghan Markle may have saved hers and Harry’s Netflix deal, but there’s a big catch

To refresh your memory, Netflix coughed up an elephantine $100 million when they snapped Harry and Meghan up initially five years ago. In hindsight, with only one big hit resulting from that nine-figure sum, the company’s overspending has been mercilessly mocked in the years since. Just this January, at a private event attended by Netflix execs and stars, John Mulaney hyped up his own upcoming show by quipping, “Not since Harry and Meghan has Netflix given more money to someone without a specific plan.” Ouch!

In the wake of such criticism, it’s been speculated whether Netflix could cut ties with Harry and Meghan entirely once the current deal has elapsed. Kudos where it’s deserved, though, as it’s being reported that With Love, Meghan might just prove enough of a money-maker to warrant another agreement, thanks to the canny way Meghan has tied the launch of the show in with her new wellness brand, As Ever.

“I think one thing has become pretty clear. We have simultaneously got the launch as As Ever and some of the products Meghan sells will be stocked by Netflix in their new shopping malls,” Royal expert Richard Eden explained to GB News (via TheNews). “Netflix has an interest in As Ever and that the eight-part series will cause interest.”

That’s good news for the Sussexes and a nice confidence boost for Meghan’s business savvy amid a lot of backlash, but it should be stressed that the couple are extremely unlikely to land as lucrative a deal as last time. Eden continued by admitting that, while the chances of a renewal to their contract are looking good, Netflix is not going to throw another $100 million down the drain this time.

“All the indications are that a deal of some sort will be renewed when the contract expires. It almost certainly will not be on the terms that were originally agreed,” Eden added.

With Love, Meghan hasn’t been free of controversy, far from it, but its more reality-skewering flavor seems to be a better bet for the Sussexes than Harry’s documentaries about niche sports. If another deal does happen, maybe expect Harry and Meg to leave behind their hopes of becoming serious streaming content-makers and instead embrace their status as reality royalty.