Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been treated like the "biggest stars" Netflix works with during negotiations as the Sussexes' contract with the streaming giant comes to an end, a brand expert has claimed.
The royal couple have agreed a "first look" deal with Netflix, meaning the company will have the opportunity to snap up any future projects the Sussexes produce ahead of rival streaming platforms.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex signed a lucrative deal with the streaming giant in 2020 after stepping down as working members of the Royal Family.
The couple's five-year Netflix contract, established through their production company Archewell, has yielded limited success beyond their initial documentary Harry & Meghan.
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|Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been treated like the "biggest stars" Netflix works with during negotiations as the Sussexes' contract with the streaming giant comes to an end, a brand expert has claimed.
Nick Ede told Hello: "The first look deal is something that many channels offer the biggest stars and I’m sure Netflix won't want to lose their relationship with the pair as they have brought viewers, subscribers and column inches to the platform.
"Although some of their shows have failed to ignite the interest they originally had, they are still box office when it comes to publicity."
Whilst the documentary's premiere became Netflix's biggest documentary debut, their other Netflix productions, Heart of Invictus and Polo, have similarly failed to generate significant audience interest.
Netflix has decided it will not enter into discussions with the Sussexes over extending their deal.
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|Netflix has decided it will not enter into discussions with the Sussexes over extending their deal.
The streaming giant is not expected to release a statement officially announcing the end of their partnership with Harry and Meghan.
The company will remain open to working with the couple on one-off projects in a more informal arrangement.
Meghan Markle's second season of her lifestyle programme, With Love, Meghan, will still be released on Netflix later this year.
The first series of the programme was released in March this year, after its launch was postponed by two months in January 2025.
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|The Duke and Duchess of Sussex signed a lucrative deal with the streaming giant in 2020 after stepping down as working members of the Royal Family.
The show, which is titled With Love, Meghan, failed to secure a place amongst Netflix's 300 most-watched shows for the first half of 2025, marking another disappointment in the couple's media ventures.
With Love, Meghan attracted just 5.3 million views, placing it at number 383 on the streaming platform's rankings.
The programme sits alongside decade-old content, matching viewing figures for the 2014 second series of Peaky Blinders and the fourth series of Suits from 2011, the legal drama that originally featured Meghan.
Initially, the series entered Netflix's global top 10 within 24 hours of release. However, viewership rapidly declined following a wave of critical reviews.