By Molly Claire Goddard
11:24pm PDT, Aug 15, 2025
_
Royal experts are weighing in on
Prince Harry and
Meghan Markle's lackluster deal with Netflix. After the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were downgraded to a first-look agreement and offered an alleged pay cut to extend their partnership with the streaming service, some are claiming the situation is a "slap in the face" for the couple.
Keep reading to see what people are saying about Harry and Meghan…MORE:
Follow Wonderwall on MSN for more top news
_
Royal expert
Richard Eden claimed Netflix's lack of commitment with a first-look deal with
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle is far from a compliment. "It's definitely a slap in the face," the journalist said. "Let's deal with the facts. Harry himself in his interview with
Oprah Winfrey talked about how he needed money and he needed it quickly because security and money had been cut off from his father. He said, 'We sign these deals with Spotify and Netflix,' clearly implying that they were worth a fortune. … This is none of a kind from everything I have heard. It is just a first-look deal, so the only money they will receive is if the programs are commissioned. I mean what Harry would want would be another deal he can boast to Oprah Winfrey about how much it's worth but it's clear that's not coming."
_
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle signed their first Netflix deal in 2020. While their 2022 docuseries performed extremely well, the pair's other projects failed to hit the mark. Despite any shortcomings, the company decided to give Harry and Meghan another shot. "They have shot the golden goose of 2020 — more of a 'we'll call you' than 'here's the checkbook.' It's a first-look deal, which means Netflix gets first dibs but no obligation to bankroll every semi-royal whim," publicist
Mark Borkowski aid. "I reckon Netflix is trimming fat industry-wide, so this is less carte blanche, more curated cameo. They're still in business together –Meghan's As ever brand and seasonal specials keep them in the Netflix shop window, but make no mistake, this is a slimmed-down sequel to the blockbuster original. So Harry and Meghan's new Netflix chapter [is] less champagne budget, more prosecco by the glass."
_
Netflix executives publicly gushed over the streamer's continued working relationship with
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. "Harry and Meghan are influential voices whose stories resonate with audiences everywhere," Netflix's Chief Content Officer
Bela Bajaria raved. "The response to their work speaks for itself —
Harry [and] Meghan gave viewers an intimate look into their lives and quickly became one of our most-watched documentary series. More recently, fans have been inspired by
With Love, Meghan, with products from the new As ever line consistently selling out in record time. We're excited to continue our partnership with Archewell Productions and to entertain our members together."
