January 1, Netflix Changes Course For Meghan’s New Series

Wyatt’s Take

• Netflix is ditching expensive Hollywood deals like the one with Harry and Meghan.
• Even with the contract ending, Meghan’s cooking show will get a second season.
• The Sussexes might still work with Netflix, but their big-money days seem over.

Netflix is saying goodbye to its massive multi-year deal with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. That $100 million contract, which was supposed to keep them busy for five years, won’t be renewed when it wraps up this September. The streaming giant is pulling back from these kinds of pricey Hollywood partnerships, showing that big promises don’t always equal big results.

One Hollywood insider said it’s not personal, just business. “There’s no animosity from either side. Things have just run their course.” The message is pretty clear-fame and royal titles might get you in the door, but that doesn’t guarantee you’ll stay there.

Even though the contract is ending, Meghan’s latest show, With Love, Meghan, is here to stay, at least for now. The second season has already been filmed and is set to show up on Netflix this fall. The future for a third season, or for more projects, is up in the air. The end of their contract doesn’t mean the end of their Netflix run, but gone are the days of guaranteed big-money deals.

This isn’t the first time Netflix has cut back on big Hollywood contracts. A few years back, they pulled a similar move with Barack and Michelle Obama. So Meghan and Harry aren’t being singled out; it’s just the new way Netflix does business.

Meghan’s first attempt at a Netflix docuseries, Harry & Meghan, made waves when it aired in 2022, becoming Netflix’s most-watched documentary debut. Her brand seemed to get a boost in Hollywood circles for a while. Season one of With Love, Meghan made it into the top ten shows after just a week, with millions tuning in, but viewers dropped off pretty quickly. Netflix’s latest numbers show it hasn’t set the world on fire since then.

The series is set in Montecito, California, with Meghan inviting big-name friends like Mindy Kaling, chef Roy Choi, and food icon Alice Waters into her kitchen. She’s all about lifestyle, sharing recipes and tips. She told the press, “The series is about doing what you can do, and doing it with love.” Season 2 will bring on even more celebrities, like Chrissy Teigen and chef Jose9 Andre9s. “We love Jose9 so much,” Meghan said at the Time100 Summit. “I’ve been really lucky. We have a great, great lineup.”

Her husband and kids have even popped onto the set. Meghan called it “really special” that her children got to see her working and “understand what Mama does.” Even young Archie helped out with the filming clapboard.

For season 2, Meghan stays as executive producer, and director Michael Steed returns. The series isn’t shot right in their house, but close by. Netflix still seems happy with the results, saying they’re not upset with how things turned out. Future deals are possible, but it won’t be like before.

Wyatt Matters

Here’s what it means for middle America: The Hollywood elite will always try to cash in on fame and connections, but at the end of the day, hard work and real values matter more than titles or headlines. Netflix is waking up to that truth, and maybe more folks in big cities should too. No matter how many cameras they roll out, it’s what you do that counts, not who you know or where you come from.

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