During a candid sit-down, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex dished on the ongoing partnership she and Prince Harry have with streaming giant Netflix, but a royal expert thinks she was ‘stretching the truth’
It’s been a busy few weeks for Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, from her surprise appearance at Paris Fashion Week to catching up with A-list pals in New York City, and accepting a prestigious award alongside Prince Harry.
In one of her most recent appearances, she took part in a wide-ranging chat about her business ventures and dished on how things stand with Netflix, after Harry and Meghan’s deal with the streaming giant underwent a major change.
Meghan was seriously positive about the new approach the couple has agreed with the company, comparing their ‘first look’ deal – which means that Netflix is given any ideas they come up with first, but if the company passes, they can take them elsewhere – to that of the Obamas, but one royal expert is a little more sceptical about the state of affairs.
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Meghan and Harry signed with Netflix in a major and exclusive deal back in 2020, reported to be worth £75 million at the time.
Their self-titled documentary series about their love story broke viewership records, but not all of their productions for the streaming company have been so well-received, with the Duchess’s lifestyle show, With Love, Meghan, receiving mixed reviews.
During the chat for the Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit 2025, Meghan span the new deal as a positive step forward, explaining: “My husband and I were in an overall deal with Netflix, and then not just similar to Higher Ground in the Obamas’ deal, once that had come to its term, the extension of it, which was such an incredible sign of the strength of our partnership, was now being in a first-look deal.
“Which is also exciting, because it gives us flexibility to go to our partners first, and then at the same time, to be able to shop content that might not be the right fit for Netflix, but has a home somewhere else.”
The Duchess also said she was “grateful” for the “creative partnership” she has with the streaming company. However, expert Jennie Bond, formerly royal correspondent for the BBC, told the Mirror exclusively that she thought Meghan’s comments were “a bit of a stretch”.
“Well, I think it’s a bit of a stretch to say that the new Netflix deal is a sign of strength,” said the expert. “But who wouldn’t put a positive spin on something like that? And, from what I understand, the new deal is a fairly routine way that Netflix is now commissioning programmes. It probably takes some of the pressure off Meghan in that she is no longer committed to a defined number of projects, and is free to try to sell her ideas elsewhere.”
The royal commentator also noted that in her view, it marked a new chapter in Meghan’s professional life, focusing on “being an influencer” and “businesswoman”.
“She has now reverted to being an influencer and is learning how to become a businesswoman. Good for her, ” she said, “I’m sure it’s important she keeps her profile as high as possible by speaking at summits and conventions. And diversifying to share her recipes and tips on social media seems an obvious move which, I think, could prove both popular and very lucrative. She’s an independent woman forging her own way in the world after her brief incarnation of being ‘Royal’.”
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