The royal rebrand isn’t going according to script. Netflix has decided not to renew its $100 million deal with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle when their contract expires in September 2025—and the reason is brutally simple: nobody watched their content.
Culinary Flop: Meghan’s “With Love” Lands With a Thud
The Duchess of Sussex’s passion project, With Love, Meghan, a cooking and lifestyle show, ranked a dismal #383 in Netflix’s global viewership report, scraping just 5.3 million streams worldwide. To put that in perspective, reruns of Suits—the legal drama Meghan starred in pre-royalty—outperformed her new venture. Critics weren’t kind, with The Guardian snarking that it was “a narcissistic exercise best suited to filler slots on Saturday morning TV.”
Harry’s Polo Doc: A Royal Yawn
Not to be outdone in the failure department, Prince Harry’s documentary on polo—yes, polo—managed to attract a mere 500,000 viewers globally, placing it at #3,442 in Netflix’s catalog. An insider at the streaming giant bluntly told The Sun: “They’re just waiting for the end credits. There’s zero appetite for new projects from them.”
This Netflix rejection follows their Spotify catastrophe, where a $20 million podcast deal was abruptly terminated in 2023. Spotify exec Bill Simmons didn’t mince words, labeling the duo “grifters.”
Harry’s Side Hustles: Philanthropy Over Hollywood?
While Harry collects paychecks as a “Chief Impact Officer” at BetterUp and fronts Travalyst, his most natural role seems to be following in Princess Diana’s humanitarian footsteps. His recent minefield walk in Angola for The Halo Trust—a direct callback to his mother’s work—hinted at where his heart might truly lie.
“He’s realizing Los Angeles celebrity culture doesn’t suit him,” observed former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond. “And he seems content letting Meghan take center stage.”
Montecito Math: Lavish Lifestyle vs. Dwindling Income
The Sussexes’ $14 million Montecito mansion isn’t paying for itself. With annual expenses including:
$500,000 in mortgage payments
$250,000 in staff salaries
$4 million in private security
…their financial runway is looking shorter than a British summer. Harry’s inheritance from Diana (reportedly £10 million) and Charles’ alleged financial cutoff post-Megxit aren’t infinite resources.
Meghan’s Hustle: Jam, Wine, and Carrying the Family
Enter Meghan’s latest venture—American Riviera Orchard—a lifestyle brand selling $75 strawberry jam and $125 dog biscuits. Early “sold out” signs on her website suggest she might actually have a knack for commerce.
PR expert Nick Ede notes: “Meghan is their best revenue stream. She’s the breadwinner now.”
The Sussexes’ media empire dreams have crashed into reality. With Netflix gone, Spotify gone, and royal ties severed, Meghan’s pivot to artisanal overpriced condiments might be their last shot at solvency.
One thing’s clear: Hollywood won’t fund their royal adjacent fantasy forever. Maybe it’s time to rebrand—Diana’s Son & The Jam Lady has a certain ring to it.
