Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Slow Progress on Netflix Projects Could Actually Be a Good Sign
As Prince Harry and Meghan Markle get closer to the end of their five-year Netflix contract an expert says the slow rate at which the Duke and Duchess have been releasing projects isn’t worrisome. Rather, they think it’s a good sign and an indication they’re focused on “quality.”
Harry and Meghan haven’t released a project with Netflix since August 2023
It’s slowgoing for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and their Netflix partnership in the way of releases. Sure, they have things in the works (more on that ahead), but they haven’t released a title since the summer of 2023.
Heart of Invictus, a docuseries following competitors as they prepared for the 2022 Invictus Games, a sporting competition founded by Harry, premiered in August 2023. It didn’t make headlines as much as Harry & Meghan, the pair’s December 2022 docuseries about leaving royal life, did.
Around the same time it was reported Harry and Meghan would be producing Netflix’s screen adaptation of the Carley Fortune novel, Meet Me at the Lake.
Prior to that they had an animated children’s series, Pearl, canceled by the streamer and the release of a docuseries about world leaders.
It’s a sign Harry and Meghan are ‘focusing on quality’ with Netflix
According to Mark Boardman, an entertainment expert and the founder of MarkMeets, Harry and Meghan’s lack of completed Netflix projects points toward “quality.”
“Harry and Meghan’s slow work output must be a joint decision,” he told Newsweek. “In that, rather than rushing out content to meet public expectations, they are focusing on quality projects.”
Plus, there are “several factors” at play. “These include not only COVID and the SAG-AFTRA strikes, but also the couple’s personal circumstances, including children, and other agreements, such as filming for the Invictus Games for Harry and event management,” Boardman explained.
The Sussexes teasing new Netflix projects isn’t enough
At the time of writing, Harry and Meghan haven’t announced any forthcoming Netflixs projects, only teased what’s ahead. During a November 2023 red carpet event Meghan remarked she and her husband “have so many exciting things on the slate.”
Since then Bela Bajaria, Netflix Chief Content Officer, has also touched on some of Harry and Meghan’s projects that are in the works. Per Deadline, Bajaria said the pair have “a bunch of development.”
“They have a movie in development, a [scripted] series that they’re working on. So, all very early development, with a movie, a TV show and a couple of unscripted shows. But, yeah, the movie’s great.”
According to Boardman, teasing new projects isn’t enough. At this stage Harry and Meghan need to share what exactly they’re working on.
“Now is the time to start making announcements about the future. Ranging from film and television production docuseries to the adaptation of Meet Me at the Lake,” he said, noting the recent mentions “suggest that these and other projects might be in earlier stages.”
To date, the couple’s completed Netflix works include: Harry & Meghan, Live to Lead, and Heart of Invictus.
