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In an unexpected twist, Netflix reportedly found itself taken aback when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle participated in a high-profile interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021. This candid conversation raised concerns at Netflix, as it was perceived to have potentially cast a shadow over the highly anticipated docuseries “Harry & Meghan.”
Just months prior to this media buzz, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had inked a multiyear partnership with the streaming giant. This agreement, made under their Archewell Productions banner, promised a diverse slate of content, including feature films, docuseries, documentaries, and even children’s programming.
One of the couple’s latest ventures includes Markle’s lifestyle series titled “With Love, Meghan.”
The deal, a significant collaboration in the entertainment industry, was reportedly valued at around $60 million.
Following the agreement, Netflix promptly began working on the much-discussed series. The show delves into Harry and Meghan’s personal journey, exploring their romance, their experiences within the royal family, and the pivotal decisions that ultimately led them to step back from their royal roles and start anew in California.
However, Netflix was reportedly not expecting the former “Suits” star and Prince Harry to sit down with Winfrey and reveal never-before-heard details about their life.
Some of the stories relayed to Winfrey included Markle sharing that she contemplated suicide while pregnant with Prince Archie and detailing a huge blowup she had with her sister-in-law, the Princess of Wales, over Princess Charlotte’s flower girl dress for the 2018 Sussex wedding.
The couple also accused unnamed members of the royal family of questioning the color of Prince Archie’s skin while Markle was pregnant with him.
While there is no suggestion that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex violated any terms of their agreement, Netflix was still “annoyed” by the “lack of communication,” reports Variety.
Sources told Variety that Netflix only found out about the Winfrey interview at “the last minute.”
A Sussex spokesperson vehemently denied these claims, labelling them “categorically false,” noting that “Netflix and Archewell had legal counsel involved to oversee the evolution of the deal, as is common practice for any deal changes in Hollywood.”
The interview went ahead, garnering global headlines and blockbuster ratings for CBS.
Following the interview, rumors surfaced that a publishing auction was underway for Prince Harry’s memoir. Netflix reportedly approached the couple to discuss timing, with sources claiming that Markle “downplayed the auction” and even told Netflix honcho Ted Sarandos “that any publication would be far in the future, if it happened at all.”
The Variety article also alleges that Netflix “felt blindsided again” by the news that Penguin Random House was publishing Harry’s memoir “Spare” during the planned rollout of “Harry & Meghan.”
Netflix reportedly “acted immediately to have ‘Harry & Meghan’ air in its entirety before the book hit shelves.”
The memoir was released in January 2023 and became the fastest-selling nonfiction book of all time.
Earlier this month, Page Six reported that Netflix had cut ties with Markle’s lifestyle brand, As Ever, as her series, “With Love, Meghan,” was wrapping up after two seasons.