Everyone has an opinion on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. That’s just the world we live in now. But when it comes to the Netflix Sussexes multi year deal, the noise is usually louder than the actual facts. Honestly, the timeline of this partnership has been a wild ride of massive record-breaking hits, quiet cancellations, and a lot of behind-the-scenes pivot moves that most people missed.
It started with a bang in 2020. A reported $100 million contract. At the time, it felt like the biggest Hollywood land grab in years. Fast forward to 2026, and the landscape looks completely different. While early reports in 2025 suggested the deal was dead in the water, the reality was a bit more nuanced. They didn't just walk away; they shifted the goalposts.
The Evolution of the Netflix Sussexes Multi Year Deal
In the beginning, the deal was an "overall" agreement. Basically, this meant Archewell Productions was tied almost exclusively to Netflix for everything from documentaries to children’s cartoons. Remember Pearl? That was the animated series about a young girl inspired by historical women. It was one of the first high-profile casualties of the Netflix budget cuts in 2022.
But then came the heavy hitter. The Harry & Meghan docuseries.
It wasn't just a hit; it was a juggernaut. It pulled in 81.55 million hours of watch time in its first week alone. To this day, it remains the most-watched documentary debut in the history of the platform. If you’re Netflix, that’s exactly what you paid for. The problem is, how do you follow a "tell-all" when you’ve already told it all?
By 2025, the industry was buzzing with rumors that the Netflix Sussexes multi year deal wouldn't be renewed. The data looked a bit grim for their newer projects. For instance, the documentary Polo struggled to find a massive audience, and even Meghan’s lifestyle series With Love, Meghan had a modest showing compared to their debut.
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From "Overall" to "First Look"
In August 2025, we saw a major shift. Instead of a total exit, the couple and Netflix reportedly transitioned to a "first-look" deal.
What does that actually mean?
In plain English: Netflix no longer pays for their entire overhead, but they get the first right to buy any new projects Harry and Meghan come up with. It’s a lower-risk move for the streamer and gives the Sussexes more freedom to shop projects elsewhere if Netflix passes. It's a classic Hollywood "we're still friends, but let's see other people" business move.
What Have They Actually Produced?
It's easy to say they haven't done much, but when you look at the list, they’ve actually kept fairly busy. The output hasn't always been the "bombshell" content the tabloids want, but it’s been consistent.
- Harry & Meghan (2022): The record-breaker. It defined the early era of their deal.
- Live to Lead (2022): A series highlighting world leaders like Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Greta Thunberg.
- Heart of Invictus (2023): A deeply personal project for Harry focusing on the veterans' games he founded.
- With Love, Meghan (2025): A lifestyle and cooking show that also served as a launchpad for her brand, As Ever.
- Polo (2024/2025): An inside look at the high-stakes world of professional polo.
There is also the adaptation of Carley Fortune’s novel Meet Me at the Lake. Netflix reportedly spent around $3 million just for the rights to that book. It’s a scripted romance, which is a big departure from the documentary-style content they’ve leaned on so far.
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Why the $100 Million Figure is Kinda Misleading
You see the "$100 million" figure everywhere. It’s a great headline. But in Hollywood, nobody gets a check for $100 million on day one.
That money is usually a "pot." It covers production budgets, staff salaries at Archewell, and development fees. If you don't make the shows, you don't get the money. This is exactly what happened with their Spotify deal, which ended early because they didn't hit "productivity benchmarks."
Netflix has been more patient. Why? Because even if Polo didn't light up the charts, the Harry & Meghan series provided enough marketing value to justify a lot of the initial investment.
The Brand Integration Strategy
The most interesting part of the Netflix Sussexes multi year deal lately isn't even the TV shows. It's the business integration.
Meghan’s lifestyle brand, As Ever (formerly American Riviera Orchard), is built directly into her Netflix content. When she’s on screen making jam or arranging flowers, she’s showcasing products that fans can actually buy. Netflix has even taken a passive stake in the brand. This is the new "Discovery Model" that Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos has mentioned. They aren't just selling a show anymore; they’re selling a lifestyle ecosystem.
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What Most People Get Wrong
People love to say the deal was a failure. It’s a popular narrative. But from a business perspective, if you produce the most-watched documentary in a platform's history, you've done your job. The challenge for the Sussexes now is proving they have staying power beyond the royal drama. They are trying to transition from "royals in exile" to "lifestyle moguls."
It’s a tough transition.
Critics call the newer content "pretentious" or "too polished." But the numbers for the first season of With Love, Meghan—about 5.3 million views in the first half of 2025—show there is still a core audience. It just isn't the "everyone in the world is watching" audience they had in 2022.
What Really Happens Next?
The "multi-year" part of the deal is the big question mark. We are currently in a phase where every project is a test.
The upcoming documentary Masaka Kids, A Rhythm Within, which follows orphaned children in Uganda, will be a test of their ability to produce meaningful "prestige" documentaries without Harry or Meghan being the central characters. If they can produce hits where they stay behind the camera, the deal has a long life ahead of it.
Actionable Insights for Following the Deal
- Watch the Credits: If you see "Archewell Productions" without a Netflix logo in the first 10 seconds of a future project, you’ll know they’ve officially moved on to other streamers.
- Monitor the First-Look Window: Most first-look deals have a "reversion" clause. If Netflix says no to a project, expect to see the Sussexes pitching to Amazon or Hulu within 60 to 90 days.
- Product Launches: The success of the deal is now tied to the success of As Ever. If the jam and kitchenware sell out, Netflix stays interested.
The Netflix Sussexes multi year deal isn't the simple "success or failure" story people want it to be. It’s a complex, evolving corporate partnership that has survived several rounds of rumors about its demise. As of 2026, the Sussexes are still very much in the Netflix family, even if the "honeymoon phase" of 2020 has been replaced by a more calculated, business-first reality.