Setbacks Aside, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Netflix Deal Is Worth Millions

Netflix initially decided to put the breaks on a planned documentary series on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle amid controversy surrounding its popular fictional series on the royal family, The Crown.

Former U.K. Prime Minister John Major complained to the streaming network about an episode in the latest season of The Crown that depicts a scene where Prince Charles is consulting with Major about pressuring Queen Elizabeth to abdicate the throne so he can become king. Major says the storyline is a “barrel-load of nonsense,” reports The Guardian.

The controversy had Netflix executives “rattled,” so they originally chose to postpone the December release of the Harry & Meghan documentary, Deadline reports. What's their deal with Netflix worth? Keep reading to find out.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex signed a multiyear deal with Netflix in 2020. Although it wasn’t disclosed at the time how much the deal was worth, a source told US Weekly that Netflix offered the couple almost $100 million.

Under the deal, Netflix will pay the couple and their production company, Archewell Productions, to create documentaries, docu-series, feature films, scripted shows, and children’s programming.

“Our lives, both independent of each other and as a couple, have allowed us to understand the power of the human spirit: of courage, resilience and the need for connection,” the couple said in a statement at the time. “Through our work with diverse communities and their environments, to shining a light on people and causes around the world, our focus will be on creating content that informs but also gives hope.”

Harry and Meghan also struck a multiyear partnership deal with music streaming platform Spotify. The Spotify deal includes numerous podcasts, some hosted by the couple, CNN reports.

The couple's first Netflix program, Heart of Invictus, is a docu-series centered around competitors in the Invictus Games The Hague 2020, which took place in 2022 after being delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A release date has been set however. Harry & Meghan will premiered in two parts— Volume I, episodes one to three debuted Dec. 8, and Volume II, episodes four to six aired Dec. 15.

Earlier this year, Netflix scrapped a second Archewell Productions project, a children’s animated series titled Pearl. It was one of several children’s animated programs canceled by Netflix due to spending cutbacks at the network, NBC News reported.

Forbes reports the docu-series about Harry and Meghan and their relationship was initially slated to be released in December but was pushed to 2023 following The Crown controversy. Netflix finally announced the set release date— Dec. 8 and Dec. 15.

The six-part series, Harry & Meghan, explores the span of the couple’s relationship from their courtship to the controversies that prompted them to step back from the royal family, Netflix said in a Dec. 1 announcement.

“But the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are no ordinary couple. Theirs is one of the most high-profile love stories in history, and even the most plugged-in fans and followers of their story have never heard it told like this before,” states Netflix.

Harry and Meghan have more than Harry's royal inheritance to depend on financially. Much of the couple's wealth comes from their company, Archewell Productions, which partnered with Netflix for their documentary series Harry & Meghan. Their production company is set to produce another documentary called Heart of Invictus, which follows the lives of athletes competing in the Invictus Games.

The couple's company also produces and hosts Spotify podcasts, and both Harry and Meghan received funds from book writing. According to The New York Post, Harry was paid almost $20 million for his memoir Spare, which is set to be released in 2023. He is also a board executive for the mental health firm, BetterUp.