I’ve lost count of how many different stories we’ve gotten over the years for “why Netflix secretly hates the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.” These people are constantly falling all over themselves to proclaim that any minute now, Netflix will be done with the Sussexes, and nothing has ever come of it. Harry and Meghan fulfilled their first five-year contract, and they got a new first-look contract this year. Their new contract is less money upfront, but Netflix is very clearly still happy to be in business with the Sussexes. They’ve even announced several new projects, including Masaka Kids, Cookie Queens (a documentary about Girl Scout Cookies) and an adaptation of The Wedding Date. Clearly, Archewell Productions has a lot in the pipeline. But that’s not stopping Tom Sykes from once again claiming that the only reason why Netflix wants Harry and Meghan at this point is because of a documentary about Princess Diana.
Hollywood insiders told The Royalist that Netflix may have given Prince Harry and Meghan Markle a prized production deal to keep them onside for another personal, royal themed extravaganza that could rival their blockbuster Harry & Meghan tell-all. Deadline reported that the couple’s Archewell production company will be involved in a new adaptation of The Wedding Date by New York Times bestselling author Jasmine Guillory.
Harry and Meghan’s partnership with the streamer was downgraded to a first-look deal earlier this year after shows such as Polo, With Love, Meghan, Heart of Invictus, Harry & Meghan, and Live to Lead failed to trouble the top of the charts. Archewell is also said to be working on an adaptation of Meet Me at the Lake, by Carley Fortune.
I have previously reported that Harry is planning a 2027 film to mark the 30th anniversary of his mother’s death.
One Hollywood source told me: “It’s hard to see at this point how and why the relationship endures unless there is something juicy and possibly Diana-shaped being dangled.”
Another source said: “It’s certainly not been a hugely productive deal thus far. Meghan’s TV show hasn’t done anything on the Netflix charts. But if there’s something Diana related indeed coming, you could see that as something Netflix would certainly maintain the relationship for, at a price.”
The source added that Archewell would likely not have had “offers of note” so Netflix is likely “not paying much in terms of overhead for the first-look.”
Mark Graham at Decider told The Royalist: “Netflix seems pretty happy to be in bed with Meghan and Harry, despite the fact that Archewell productions don’t really seem to be contributing much to their coffers of late. According to Netflix’s own numbers, the first season of “With Love, Meghan” ranked as the streamer’s 383rd most popular show. No, not of all-time; that ranking is solely for the first six months of 2025.
“More disturbingly, neither the second season of that show nor its recent Christmas special were able to crack Netflix’s Top 10 in either the United States or the UK, let alone globally. Maybe those two will have better luck staying behind the scenes and producing material that doesn’t feature either of their faces?”
Except… With Love, Meghan did crack the top ten in many countries. Even the holiday special cracked the top ten domestically (in the US) for like a week or two. Considering Meghan filmed two seasons and a holiday special all in one go, it was pretty cost-effective for Netflix overall and it was a soft entrance into that kind of aspirational lifestyle programming. I’m sure Netflix learned a lot from WLM, and I’m also sure that they’re interested in making more of the show. I still believe that Meghan is more focused on As Ever right now, and she’s the one saying “not right now” to more WLM.
As for the Diana doc, we’ve heard speculation about this before. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if Harry had been approached, nor would I be shocked if he was considering it to varying degrees. What I don’t believe is that a potential Diana documentary, with Harry’s participation, is the only thing keeping Netflix interested. As I said, they keep running through all of these excuses and lies for why Netflix feels this way or that way, and we simply see no evidence of that.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid.
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- A portrait of Princess Diana, wife of Prince Charles of England, during her visit in Bonn on the 15th of November in 1987.,Image: 506622400, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO GERMANY, AUSTRIA, SWITZERLAND – NO 3RD PARTIES – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries call London + 44 (0)20 7421 6000 , New York + 1 646-329-6242 or Hamburg + 49 (0)40 530 240 5959, Model Release: no, Credit line: SVEN SIMON / DPA Picture Alliance / Avalon
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- PRINCESS DIANA OF WALES, LADY DI. 1996 WASHINGTON DC PHOTO WAS ON THE COVER OF US NEWS MAGAZINE AND WAS THE BEST SELLING ISSUE IN 70 YEARS. . LADY DI . PORTRAIT. RETRATO. HEADSHOT,Image: 538725362, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: World rights – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 sales@avalon.red, Model Release: no, Credit line: Look Press Agency/Look Press / Avalon
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- Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, and Diana, Princess of Wales, visit Australia Princess Diana in Tasmania The princess is wearing the Spencer family tiara and a dress by Bruce Oldfield. State Reception in Hobart,Image: 549283325, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Photoshot – sales@photoshot.com London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Florida: +1 239 689 1883 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: John Shelley Collection / Avalon
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- Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, and Diana, Princess of Wales, visit West Wales At Rhydyronen station on the Talyllyn Railway Diana’s coat dress is made of tan coloured checked wool with brown leather cuffs and collar and was designed by designer Arabella Pollen.,Image: 549311926, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Photoshot – sales@photoshot.com London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Florida: +1 239 689 1883 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: John Shelley Collection / Avalon
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- Prince Harry departs The Royal Courts Of Justice in London, England, UK on Wednesday 9 April, 2025 after attending the start of a two day hearing to appeal the decision over his security access at the Appeals Court.,Image: 985538946, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Please credit photographer and agency when publishing as Justin Ng/UPPA/Avalon., Model Release: no, Credit line: Justin Ng/Avalon
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- PRINCE HARRY VISITS COMMUNITY RECORDING STUDIO IN NOTTINGHAM,Image: 1035535438, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Paul Grover/Avalon
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- Nottingham, UK, 09 September 2025: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, visits the Community Recording Studio (CRS) in Nottingham.,Image: 1035538464, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Paul Grover/Avalon
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- Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, makes an appearance at the One805Live! benefit concert with proceeds benefitting first responders of Santa Barbara County. The benefit concert is held on Kevin Costner’s estate in Santa Barbara, USA, Saturday 20 September 2025.,Image: 1039018892, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: JERRY PEREZ/Avalon
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- London, UNITED KINGDOM – **FILE PHOTOS** PRINCESS DIANA pictured in 1990s archive photos Pictured: PRINCESS DIANA BACKGRID USA 4 JULY 1996 BYLINE MUST READ: MediaPunch / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Beverly Hills, CA Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were seen leaving Kris Jenner’s 70th birthday celebration held at Jeff Bezos’ lavish estate in Beverly Hills. Pictured: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle BACKGRID USA 8 NOVEMBER 2025 BYLINE MUST READ: The Hollywood JR / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Beverly Hills, CA Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were seen leaving Kris Jenner’s 70th birthday celebration held at Jeff Bezos’ lavish estate in Beverly Hills. Pictured: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle BACKGRID USA 8 NOVEMBER 2025 BYLINE MUST READ: The Hollywood JR / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
😂😂okay gutter rats you keep trying to manifest this but I think your shit out of luck. They keep the Sussexes around because they like their work and sign them up for more. Let’s see Netflix is doing something of Chuckles too is it only because they want a Diana story?
Yep.. They’ll keep lying about WLM failures without acknowledging its the no 1 lifestyle show (I think was the category). Such pathetic losers these people are
And let’s not forget that Netflix is also in a business partnership with Meghan re: As ever. VERY odd that Sykes ignores what Ted Sarandos says, too.
Harry & Meghan (their story) was one of the most successful documentaries Netflix has had. They think if they lie enough in print it will be true. It won’t.
Sykes has gone full hate mode; his latest video actually has him referring to his “favourite” Reddit account which, unsurprisingly, is the largest Meghan hate account on the site.
He’s found the most lucrative narrative and is obviously enjoying spouting his poison to his toxic subscribers.
I was gonna say, I randomly came across that video last night – he’s building his audience off the people who hate H&M because he knows that’s where the money is. He even slammed their daughter’s hair. I mean, it’s icky at this point. And he got slapped down hard by his sources about the whole William is basically King thing once Charles shut that down last week.
He made a derogatory comment about a small child’s hair? That’s a new low even for him, no? JFC
Yep, Sykes’ business model is to monetize hate. I had hopes for him last summer, when the rota kicked him out and he was posting screenshots of the WhatsApp exchange where Charles’ PR guy threatened the rota. Now it’s clear his Scooter sykophancy (sic) won’t have a near-term payoff in the form of privileged access deep inside Scooter King’s court. So he’s decided to make a living from hate.
Sykes doesn’t have anything to offer at this point. He does sometimes get leaks from his Eton buddies or William’ ‘friends’ but he doesn’t know any ‘Hollywood insiders’. He just has to come up with an excuse why all his talking points have fallen flat! The only person he could get to talk to him on the record was someone from Decider an offshoot of the NYPost who lied and said that WLM season 2 and the holiday special didn’t crack the top 10 globally or in the UK. I live in the UK and use Netflix so I know that’s a lie. I saw the Holiday special in the top 10 just a few weeks ago. The way they lie so blatantly! I also know that the Christmas special was in the Top Ten in many countries and was also in the global top ten for a few days. It’s something you could fact check yourself at the time and many people did! So we’ve got journalists telling us easily debunked lies. Sykes has completely lost the plot. Scrolling Reddit hate subs for content. He’s full troll now and factual reporting has gone out of the window.
Btw, the Decider guy makes no sense at all, as the Sussexes’ major blockbuster was literally all about them and they were front and centre throughout. So much for having more luck if they don’t show their faces – can anyone really be as stupid as Sykes and his cronies? 😂
Whatever…these royal reporters should be concerned with the working royals not Harry and Meghan.
Harry and Meghan are so irrelevant the British media have to write multiple articles a week informing us about their irrelevancy. Sure, that tracks.
@Christine, small correction: multiple articles A DAY about people we’re to believe are wholly “irrelevant”
Huh? The WLM holiday special was in the Netflix top 10 for the UK! And in Canada. Idk if it was in the top 10 in the US but it was in plenty of countries. At this point, I don’t even care about arguing over the rankings. It just irks me to see an article that is strait up wrong in its reporting. It’s such shoddy work that it’s like why take it seriously? Basic fact checking isn’t even being done. Or are the facts purposely being lied about? Either way, sketchy journalism. Maybe Harry will do a Diana doc one day so who knows? But for now we’ve got some really interesting sounding projects to look forward to.
It was top ten in the US and pretty much everywhere else. I did have a look about using my VPN 🤣🤣🤣
So Sykes blatantly lies about WLM Christmas special not being in the top ten in many countries including the UK, Australia, Canada, Ireland. Then he leaves out the fact that most new deals are first look deals now. The Obama’s, Tyler Perry, Shonda Rhimes all have first look deals! It’s not a punishment, or some sort of humiliation. This is terrible reporting from Sykes. Then he talks about a Diana doc that he has no evidence for. He talks to ‘insiders’ who have no information, just speculation and someone from the irrelevant publication Decider who also lies about the WLM charting position and speculates about a documentary from a place of ignorance. Very poor reporting from Sykes. I struggle to take him seriously at all at this point. He’s just a troll who loves hateful subreddits that tear Meghan apart on a daily basis and regurgitate lies!
Tom Sucks has gone full Carole Malone now. Maybe he should get a letter from lawyers too?
Sykes must not read Deadline, which called WLM “top-rated.” But whatever. Given how Harry reveres his mother, a potential Diana documentary from him would hardly be juicy. And what juice could possible be left? People already think Charles had her assassinated.
I could see a documentary that follows the charities that still benefit from things like The Diana Awards and her memorial fund, but that’s it. Harry would never betray his mother in a salacious way.
I’m personally manifesting a documentary about the British media and their terrible crimes over the years once the final DM case is resolved next year. So many of these awful people are still working in the media and it would be great to put the evidence out there for all to see.
Now THAT would be amazing!
@Tina 100% agree. Can you imagine all the information gathered during the discovery process from his legal cases over the past 5 years?
So we’re at the point of, ” “We were always at war with Oceania” with these “journalists ” now? People are just supposed to pretend that they didn’t see that show in the top 10 multiple times? In multiple countries?
And they continue to ignore industry standards and trends, to frame the Sussexes as failure’s. Literally getting angry that Meghan rightfully compared their first look deal to other first look deals with the same company!
In any case I don’t even understand the point of that argument. They don’t know what Netflix’s expectations are for performance, so how can they say it’s a failure? Yes the docu series did very well. Much better I’m sure than Netflix even expected. That does not mean that they expected everything else from them to land the same way. Their argument is basically we don’t know what the terms of their contract was, but since everything didn’t perform the same way it’s clearly a failure.
They’ll never admit that they were wrong about the likelihood of success for Harry and Meghan once they left ass working royals, so now they have to invent excuses as to why their success isn’t actually success.
Seriously. H&M’s documentary was HUGE. Wasn’t it Netflix’s highest-rated “docuseries” or whatever of all time? People who don’t even follow the royals watched it, same as the Oprah interview. I don’t know how he (and all the rest of them) can blatantly publish easily fact-checkable lies like this, but whatever. Their audience of nitwits seem to believe it, so I guess that’s good enough for him.
I sincerely hope there’s a special place in hell for everyone who has spent years tormenting and trashing Meghan and profiting from it.
It’s annoying that the media keeps grouping WLM with movies and tv series. Within other reality tv shows, it’s one of the top rated series. It’s ridiculous to expect a cooking/lifestyle show to have the same ratings as Stranger Things.
My AI says WLM and the holiday special did make Netflix top 10 globally and in the US. This guy is an ignorant loser parasite.
Any credible Hollywood source would know that several of their projects did in fact top Netflix charts and they would know that ranking 383 out of more than 5,000 is very impressive and not something to criticize Harry and Meghan for. The omission of the roughly 5,000 other shows in that ranking says something about how intentionally disingenuous this article, Tom scum Sykes and his sources are. Netflix has thousands upon thousands of shows on their platform and it would be illogical for them to use whether or not a show was in the top ten (which again several Sussex projects were) as a barometer of a shows success or if they will continue working with someone. Their haters blatantly lie because the truth tears apart their narratives of the Sussexes failing. Everyone working with Netflix has a new deal first look deal and none of them have that deal because of some insane narrative that people who obviously can’t do basic math have cooked up in their fevered minds. You can’t have more than 5,000 shows and everyone of them be in the top ten. You can’t even have 500, 50 or 11 shows and everyone of them is in the top ten. Haters, hear me when I say that your math isn’t mathing and for the UK journalists like Tom Scum Sykes and his alleged idiot Hollywood sources, you should at least know basic math and percentages before you put your name or opinions out into the public domain. And with the ASSUMPTION that Harry might do a documentary about his mother in two years, none of these people know anything, and if by any chance there is one, Harry is the perfect person to do it. He has honored his mother like no one else on this planet has and only he could do her justice with a documentary about her.
Harry should keep copies of all of the articles written and video based on lies. He could make that a basis for a documentary on media disinformation. He could use the UK and US news orgs.