Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s renewed deal with Netflix has been described as a “slap in the face” and a major downgrade from their original multi-million-dollar contract, according to one royal expert.
The Sussexes signed a new multi-year, first-look deal with the streaming giant, allowing Netflix to cherry-pick any projects they propose. The deal is said to be worth significantly less than their initial 2020 contract, which was reported to be up to $100 million.
“It’s definitely a slap in the face,” said Richard Eden, Diary Editor of the Daily Mail, speaking on Palace Confidential.
Eden pointed out that Harry had previously told Oprah Winfrey that signing with Netflix and Spotify was essential because he and Meghan had lost financial support from the Royal Family.
“Let’s deal with the facts,” he said. “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.”
Eden continued, “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 programmes 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.”
The two upcoming Sussex projects are known as a holiday special of With Love, Meghan, and a documentary about children in Uganda.
“By all accounts, it is a big downgrade,” Eden said. “It remains to be seen how much money they make from it.”
A spokesperson for the Sussexes confirmed the couple received an upfront fee but declined to share specifics, citing “commercially confidential contractual agreements.”
Speaking on the same show, Royal Editor Rebecca English noted that the deal’s significance depends on perspective. “Those that are their great supporters say, ‘this is a triumph… we’ve got this renewed commitment from Netflix!
“Those that do not like Harry and Meghan say this is a massive downgrade. It’s a loosening of ties from Netflix.”