Sussexes Navigate Netflix Shifts and Acting Rumors

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, are navigating challenges in their media and business ventures six years after stepping back from royal duties, with reports indicating strains in their long-term Netflix partnership and speculation about Markle's potential return to acting. The couple, who relocated to Montecito, California, in 2020, signed an estimated $100 million overall deal with the streaming service that year, leading to projects including the 2022 documentary series Harry & Meghan and Harry's 2023 Invictus Games series. However, recent developments suggest the arrangement has shifted to a first-look deal, allowing them to pitch content elsewhere if Netflix declines.

Insiders familiar with the negotiations described the partnership as evolving amid slower project output, with Netflix executives noting a focus on new content rather than extensions of past themes. Bela Bajaria, Netflix's chief content officer, addressed rumors of a rift at an industry event in March 2026, stating, "Don't believe everything you read," while confirming ongoing collaboration with the couple's Archewell Productions. The lifestyle series With Love, Meghan, which...