Meghan Markle’s deal is dead but it could mean more bad news for royals | TV & Radio | Showbiz & TV
Meghan Markle and Netflix have made time for their partnership when it comes to As Ever’s collection of tea, jam, honey and dough mixes. Both parties made it clear that this was a mutual decision, as a Netflix spokesperson said: “It was always intended that Meghan will continue to grow the brand and take it to the next level independently.”
A spokesperson for Sussex said the brand was “grateful for Netflix’s partnership throughout the launch and our first year. We’ve experienced meaningful and rapid growth and are now ready to stand on their own two feet as ever. We have an exciting year ahead and can’t wait to share more.”
While this is certainly seen as a positive step for Meghan to regain full control of her brand, it begs the question: what’s next for the Sussexes?
This isn’t the first time one of his business ventures has ended. His short-lived $20 million deal with Spotify in 2023 resulted in just 12 episodes of his Archetypes podcast and eventually led to a tense split at the streaming platform.
Meghan and Harry still have a “first look” deal with Netflix, but the duo’s film Cookie Queens, which premiered at the Sundance Festival, was not accepted by the streaming platform.
The partnership is now over, just as Ever launched 11 months ago. Meanwhile, insiders have claimed that the Duchess of Sussex’s lifestyle show With Love, Meghan, “will not be returning as a soap”.
Royal experts have previously suggested that a struggling Sussex business venture, or in this case severing ties, could leave the couple feeling pressure to return to the one thing they know will pay big dividends: returning to the Royal Family.
This will only mean more bad news for the monarchy, which has been rocked by one of the biggest scandals ever.
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If the Sussexes get back to dropping “truth bombs” about the monarchy, it will take away from their non-royal content and charity efforts, such as their recent trip to Jordan.
The Royal Family benefits from the fact that Prince Harry and Meghan are seen as successful creators, successful entrepreneurs and global philanthropists, but when a major deal closes, it reinforces the narrative that they are struggling to maintain a career outside the Firm.
This has led some experts to suggest that this could be another catalyst in Harry’s quest for reconciliation with King Charles.
Meanwhile, insiders say Meghan is determined to build on her As Ever business as it evolves, learning from the early challenges as it continues to build momentum.
As they say, when one door closes, another opens… Let’s hope Meghan’s resilience and optimism don’t focus on this latest hurdle in the road.
