Meghan Markle is said to have been banking on the money from her and Prince Harry’s reported $100 million Netflix deal to fund her American Riviera Orchard lifestyle brand, which she was hoping to promote with her own cooking show on the streaming platform.
So, it’s no surprise sources tell Closer the former Suits actress is feeling the stress as we head into the new year after it’s been reported Netflix are considering pulling the plug on the deal when their contract expires in 2025 following the disappointment of the couple’s Polo docuseries.
Polo – which follows the build-up to the polo World Cup in Florida – was panned by critics when it was released earlier this month and failed to impress viewers, failing to crack the streamer’s Top 10 upon release.
And despite still holding out hope that the series will catch on with audiences through word of mouth, it seems that Meghan and Harry are starting to panic about future income.
‘They’re still hopeful that the show will gather momentum and prove the critics wrong, but there’s no doubt this is a nightmare,’ the source tells Closer. ‘They tried so hard to give the network what they wanted, and that was more of a reality show feel than they initially envisioned, but they got on board and came up with a show that they feel hits that target but also has a lot of heart and depth.
‘But it doesn’t really matter what they think, it’s what Netflix bosses think. So, to hear these horrible rumours coming out that their deal might not be renewed because the network isn’t happy is incredibly upsetting. The whispers have really hit them hard and Megan’s naturally very concerned.’
The Sussexes signed the megabucks deal in 2020 shortly after stepping down as senior members of the royal family. Aside from Polo, the couple also executive produced and starred in the docuseries Harry & Meghan, as well as executive producing series Live to Lead, featuring interviews with world leaders and influencers, and Heart of Invictus, which told the story of the athletes competing in Harry’s Invictus Games.
Meghan’s cooking show – which finished filming in July but is yet to receive a release date – and an adaptation of the Carley Fortune novel Meet Me at the Lake are also said to be in the works under the collaboration between Archewell and Netflix, but with the deal set to end in 2025, it is unclear whether the projects will come to light as the streamer is reportedly reluctant to renew the contract.
The source adds, ‘They’ve never had higher expenses than right now, not least because Meghan’s been pumping so much money into her lifestyle brand relaunch. They’ve got very high expenses and massive plans to expand even further, so the last thing they need is to lose their deal at Netflix. It would be such a disaster.’
Meghan was expected to make a seven-figure sum from the relaunch of her lifestyle brand when she teased it back in March 2024 by opening an Instagram page and sending 50 jars of limited-edition strawberry jam to high-profile friends including Kris Jenner, Chrissy Teigen and Polo star Nacho Figueras.
But after teasing the brand would also release raspberry jam, dog treats and homeware items, updates from the brand have fallen silent.
Of course, the embarrassment of the Netflix contract not being renewed would not be the first deal Harry and Meghan had lost, with it being confirmed in June 2023 that they had ‘mutually agreed’ with Spotify not to renew Meghan’s podcast Archetypes for a second season, ending a deal that was estimated to be worth $25 million.
‘Netflix hasn’t dumped them yet and Meghan and Harry are holding out hope that it will never come to pass. But there’s no denying the polo show has not done as well as everyone was banking on,’ the source continues.
‘Critics weren’t impressed, and it hasn’t cracked the top ten. That isn’t a good look for them so naturally there are whispers the deal could be at risk. It’s not just about one project, it’s a $100 million deal, they are counting on that income.’
One review of Polo said, ‘this documentary about the royal’s hobby is like a spoof,’ while another one-star view blasted it as, ‘flat, plodding and really rather boring.’
Further criticism called the five-episode series an ‘unintentionally hilarious profile of the world’s stupidest sport’.
