The Japan Times - Harry and Meghan sign reduced deal with Netflix

The estranged British royal and his wife have worked with Netflix since 2020, producing documentary "Harry & Meghan" and lifestyle series "With Love, Meghan."

The latter showcased the Duchess of Sussex as a thriving domestic maven, hosting guests, harvesting honey and mixing bath salts against an idyllic California backdrop. It has been extended for a second season, and a holiday special due in December, Netflix said.

But while the pair's previous Netflix deal bought the streamer exclusive rights to their output, the new multi-year agreement is a "first look deal"

In Hollywood parlance, this means Netflix has the right to say yes or no to a project before Harry and Meghan's media company Archewell Productions can shop it around other studios.

Typically, first-look deals are less lucrative than exclusive deals, though they also provide producers with more flexibility.

"We're proud to extend our partnership with Netflix and expand our work together to include the 'As ever' brand," said Meghan, referring to her recently re-branded line of lifestyle products including rose wine and apricot spreads.

Bela Bajaria, Netflix's chief content officer, described Harry and Meghan as "influential voices whose stories resonate with audiences everywhere," in the statement.

Harry and Meghan wed in a fairytale ceremony in 2018, before splitting from the British royal family and moving to California two years later. Cut off from the royal purse, the pair signed their first Netflix deal in 2020 for a reported $100 million.

That figure was never confirmed, and no financial terms have been revealed for the extension.

The New York Times reported Monday that the new deal is worth less for Harry and Meghan than the previous agreement, citing a person familiar with the terms.

"Harry & Meghan," a six-episode tell-all about their relationship and exit from the House of Windsor, drew 23 million views in its first four days -- a record for a Netflix documentary.

Despite withering reviews from critics, "With Love, Meghan" had over five million views in the first half of 2025, making it Netflix's most-watched cooking show.

The upcoming holiday special will feature Meghan hosting "friends and family" as they "deck the halls, create holiday feasts, craft heartfelt gifts, and share lots of laughs," the statement promised.

Later this year, Netflix will release a short documentary from Archewell Productions about a small orphanage in Uganda.

The couple are also producing a "romance feature adaptation" of Carley Fortune's novel "Meet Me At The Lake," though no Netflix release has been confirmed.

H.Nakamura--JT