It seems like the honeymoon phase between Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and Netflix is officially over. Once hailed as the streaming platform’s dream duo, the Sussexes’ partnership with Netflix has hit a rough patch, with insiders whispering about mounting frustration and dwindling faith in their ability to deliver hits.
Polo flops and “box office poison” drama
The latest debacle? Their five-part documentary about polo, which critics have torched as a “tedious inside look” and a “dull indulgence.” One reviewer even joked it felt like a spoof designed to play in the background of Succession.
As per the sources quoted by the Daily Mail, Netflix executives are “exhausted” from working with Markle. The fallout is apparently so bad that her upcoming cookery show—still without a premiere date—is being labeled as her “make or break” moment. “It’s so much work with her, and, bluntly, the ‘deliverable’ does not seem to be worth it,” one insider said.
Adding fuel to the fire, there’s been zero buzz around the polo series. No press tours, no promotional events, no hype. Even Nacho Figueras, Harry’s polo pal and a star of the series, has barely mentioned it on social media. Hollywood veteran Sean McNulty told The Daily Beast: “The lack of a proper press campaign for a Harry and Meghan project is eyebrow-raising, to say the least.”
Cookery show under pressure
According to reports, Meghan’s cookery show is now the Sussexes’ last hope at staying in Netflix’s good graces. One entertainment exec was quotes by the Daily Mail as saying, “Her show will have to be an enormous hit to turn around their deal and their reputations in this town.”
The show is expected to drop in early 2024, coinciding with Harry’s appearance at the Winter Invictus Games in Canada and the launch of Meghan’s homeware brand, American Riviera Orchard. Talk about multitasking under pressure.
The Sussex struggle: From Hollywood darlings to “colossal bombs”
Critics are having a field day with Harry and Meghan’s current reputation—or lack thereof. Marketing expert Tony Case didn’t mince words, was quoted by the Daily Beast as saying, “Harry and Meghan are box office poison. Everyone is running away from this colossal bomb.”
He added, “They set out to conquer America, but no one here found them—or what they’re selling—to be particularly compelling.”
Even their highly-publicized project Meet Me at the Lake, based on a best-selling novel, remains in limbo. With no production in sight, it’s unlikely to materialize before their Netflix deal is up for renewal next year.
Crisis control or end of the road?
Friends who once hyped their projects are unusually quiet, fueling speculation that Hollywood may be losing patience with the couple. A source quoted in Closer Magazine tried to defend the Sussexes, blaming Netflix for pushing a “reality TV angle” that was out of their control.
