A brutal article in Variety shares the REAL story about Meghan Markle’s disastrous failure at Netflix and why Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are “struggling in Hollywood.”
Harry and Meghan Markle Were Caricatured with Meghan Holding Dead Plants Representing Their Failures
Interestingly, Variety caricatured a telling metaphor for the couple’s failures at Netflix, with Meghan holding several dead plants.
Each plant represents one failure after another: Spotify, As Ever, and Netflix are shown, with Harry and Meghan smiling like clueless fools.
It’s also important to note that Variety has inroads in the industry and always has reliable sources. Variety and The Hollywood Reporter are the bibles of the Hollywood game.
Variety spoke to several Netflix sources who have experience with the Sussexes. Apparently, the union between Meghan and Harry isn’t exactly a fairy tale.
Netflix sources claim that Harry and Meghan have been recycling the same content repeatedly and have never created anything of value.
“The mood in the building is we’re done,”
Someone said of Harry and Meghan’s tenure at Netflix. There is a reason they didn’t back Meghan’s documentary, Cookie Queens.
Netflix chief Ted Sarandos is reportedly fed up with the pair—Sarandos also notably unfollowed Meghan and As Ever on Instagram.
The first season of “With Love, Meghan” rolled out some decent numbers. However, the second season of the lifestyle and cooking show
“performed dismally compared to the first round.”
Netflix Was Sitting On $ 10 million Worth of Unsold As Ever Products.
Both Sandos and Netflix’s creative chief, Bala Bajaria, have been heard to say some not-so-nice things behind Harry and Meghan’s backs, despite sharing glowing opinions of the couple with various publications.
Additionally, Netflix was sitting on 10 million worth of unsold As ever products. Teas, jams, and other items are still hanging around the offices of the streaming giant.
Netflix announced Harry and Meghan’s multi-million-dollar deal in September 2020. Reports vary on the exact number. $ 100 million was reported, but Netflix sources claim the figure is much smaller.
The streaming giant didn’t expect the Sussexes’ controversial interview with Oprah, in which Meghan Markle accused the royal family of blatant racism.
The company only discovered at the last minute that Harry and Meghan would do the CBS Primetime sit-down with Oprah to “reveal all.”
Sources say that Netflix was blindsided by Harry’s tell-all memoir, “Spare.” The Duke of Sussex reportedly earned $ 40 million from his book deal.
Variety also reported,
“During the editing of the docuseries, “Harry and Meghan,” two sources say that “Meghan appealed to the director to remove elements from the final cut, saying select interview and footage would be upsetting to the royal family, especially given that Queen Elizabeth II had died two months prior to the series debut and the couple was observing a period of mourning.”
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Wanted to Save Many of Their “Bombshells” for Harry’s Book, “Spare.”
The director declined to comment. However,
“internally at Netflix, sources say that the feeling among some executives was that the couple’s true intention with the request was to ensure Harry’s upcoming memoir would contain exclusive news and insight that would satisfy the publisher.”
Harry and Meghan weren’t very forthcoming about the book. Netflix leadership wanted to conduct one final interview with the couple to ensure the documentary’s content would have maximum impact and nothing was left out. When it was presented to them that way, the couple agreed.
Harry and Meghan made a deal with Spotify, and a Spotify executive told several sources that the couple lacked creativity and called them f***ing grifters.
The overall mood was,
“Just because you’re famous doesn’t make you great at something.”
Netflix had also anticipated that Harry and Meghan would provide scripted content. They said they would deliver, but never did.
Truthfully, the Sussexes simply aren’t creative, and their poor behavior behind the scenes makes their lack of talent even worse.
When the scripted material failed to materialize, Netflix wanted to revisit its deal with the Sussexes. In August 2025, Netflix agreed to a first-look deal with Harry and Meghan, giving Netflix first dibs on their projects.
Meghan Is Known to Talk Over Harry and Patronize Him
However, the streamer must now pick and choose which projects to back. Additionally, in both virtual and in-person meetings with their partners, Meghan is known to often cut Harry off mid-sentence and talk over him. She also often gently brushes his arm or pats his knee. We’ve all witnessed this occurrence, starting with the engagement interview.
Meghan Markle was also known to mysteriously “disappear” during phone calls and Zoom meetings. Later, the marketing department at Netflix was told that the reason she did this was that she was
“offended by something that was said.”
The Duchess of Sussex also had disagreements over Meghan’s lifestyle brand, As Ever, and its direction. Eventually, Netflix lost faith in Harry and Megan.
We think Netflix is willing to keep Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on the hook should the couple get the divorce everyone expects. Harry wants to return to his royal role, while Meghan doesn’t want to set foot in the UK.
The Variety article concludes with a very thoughtful comment:
“After half a decade of inconsistent shows, strategic shifts, false starts, and a diminished hold on popular imagination, are the Sussexes really living the Hollywood dream they imagined?”
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