For weeks, certain corners of the press had been buzzing with the same tired refrain: “Harry and Meghan’s Netflix deal is over.” It was reported with the faux-certainty of people who mistake wishful thinking for fact, bolstered by “sources” with suspiciously tabloid-friendly agendas.
Today, those rumors aged about as well as a forgotten jug of eggnog.
On August 11, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, via Archewell Productions, announced a multi-year, first-look deal with Netflix. This isn’t a simple renewal of their 2020 agreement. It’s an expansion. The streamer now has first rights to their film and television projects, and judging from Netflix Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria’s glowing remarks, they’re more than happy about it.
“Harry and Meghan are influential voices whose stories resonate with audiences everywhere,” Bajaria said, pointing to the global success of their docuseries Harry & Meghan and the fast sellouts from Meghan’s As ever lifestyle brand.
What’s coming down the pipeline?
- With Love, Meghan Season 2 drops later this month.
- A holiday special — With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration — will premiere in December, filmed in Montecito and promising festive décor, feasts, gift-making, and plenty of warmth.
- Masaka Kids, A Rhythm Within, a documentary set in Uganda, highlighting resilience and joy in the face of hardship, arrives later this year.
- The much-anticipated film adaptation of Meet Me at the Lake remains in active development.
The As ever brand, co-developed with Netflix, will continue to grow into new product categories, likely benefiting from cross-promotion through their shows.
What’s most notable is not just the content list, but the timing. Instead of reacting to the “contract cancelled” headlines in the moment, the Sussexes let the speculation run its course. Now, their official announcement comes with the sweet aftertaste of vindication. Fans are thrilled, critics are scrambling for a new narrative, and somewhere in Britain, a few royal WhatsApp chats might be a little livelier than usual.
For Netflix, this is a safe bet: Meghan and Harry bring international attention, strong viewership, and a blend of humanitarian and lifestyle content that plays well across markets. For the Sussexes, it’s a chance to keep building a body of work on their terms.
The real question? Whether Netflix will drop that Christmas episode on the exact same day as a certain royal carol concert. Meghan might not be that petty, but Netflix? Never say never.
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