March 18, 2026

Variety Slams Sussexes! Harry and Meghan’s Netflix nightmare: insiders say “we’re done”

Show Notes
Transcript

A major new report from Variety paints a strained picture of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s relationship with Netflix, describing early optimism that has given way to frustration, creative disagreements, and questions about the future of their deal.

The report claims Archewell Productions has shifted away from its original mission into a vehicle for Meghan’s lifestyle brand, As Ever, while insiders describe fatigue over repeated storytelling around the couple’s royal exit.

We break down the key claims, including reported tensions with Netflix leadership, disputes over communication around the Oprah interview and Prince Harry’s memoir Spare, and behind-the-scenes friction during the editing of Harry & Meghan.

Plus, Meghan’s latest business move: a luxury “Bloom Box” collaboration enters the floral space — raising questions about timing as headlines swirl.

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Royal Books:

Revenge: Meghan, Harry, and the War Between the Windsors by Tom Bower

William and Catherine: The Monarchy's New Era: The Inside Story

The Royal Insider: My Life with the Queen, the King and Princess Diana

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Caloroga Shark Media. Hello and welcome to Palace Intrigue. I

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A'm your host, Mark Francis. Meghan may have wanted to

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be featured in Variety, but most definitely not this way.

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The Duke and Duchess took a kick to the shins

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in the top story article titled Inside Meghan and Harry's

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falling out with Netflix. According to a detailed report in Variety,

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the relationship between Netflix and the Sussexes has been marked

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by early excitement, later frustration, and a growing sense inside

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the company that the creative results have not matched the

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original ambition of the deal. Artwell Productions was launched in

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twenty twenty with plans to create scripted and unscripted films

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and series for all ages, but over time, the report says,

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the company became less of a broad production hub and

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more of a platform for Meghan's lifestyle brand. As Ever,

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that shift became even more significant after netwl Flix reportedly

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withdrew from the consumer venture, which it had helped finance.

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That decision, according to Variety, intensified speculation about whether the

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couple's wider deal with the company is fading out. One

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Netflix insider summed up the mood, starkly saying we're done.

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The report says there has been growing fatigue inside Netflix

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over what some executives see as the sussexes repeatedly repackaging

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the same story about leaving Royal Life. Variety says that pattern,

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combined with weak performance from later projects, has led some

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of the company to doubt whether there is much more

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value to extract from the partnership. A Netflix insider did

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push back on some of those criticisms, particularly around Meghan's

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lifestyle series, saying the ratings for With Love Meghan were

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on par with other lifestyle series. Still, the report says

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frustrations have extended beyond ratings. Sources described what they called

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poor communication between Archwall and Netflix, and said the couple's

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conduct in meetings had at times irritated people inside the company.

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Much of the article focuses on Netflix's two most senior executives,

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Ted Sirandus and Bella Baharia. Variety reports that three insiders

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said surranders have become fed up with the couple. The

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article also says Baharia is believed by some sources to

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have grown tired of the arrangement. Baharia herself offered a

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public statement defending the relationship. She said, Archwell has been

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a thoughtful and collaborative partner, and we've really enjoyed working

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with Harry and Meghan. They are deeply engaged in the

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storytelling process and bring a unique global perspective that aligns

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with the kinds of impactful projects our members respond to.

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The article also says insiders at Netflix noted that Siranders

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and his wife, Nicole Avant socialize often with Harry and Meghan,

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and that they are neighbors in Montecito, but even there,

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variety describes strains beneath the surface. Two sources told the

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magazine that Surrenders had recently said he would not sit

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on a call with Megan unless a lawyer was present.

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The article says it was not clear whether he was

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serious or joking. Netflix again denied that our right. A

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spokesperson said it is absolutely inaccurate that Sarrandas made the comment.

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Meghan's lawyer, Michael J. Cump, also rejected it. He said

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this is blatantly false. In fact, Megan texts and speaks

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with mister Sarandas regularly and has been to his home

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sans lawyers. The early hope inside Netflix was that the

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deal would produce a major documentary event centered on the

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Sussex's exit from Britain and their new life in California.

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What Netflix reportedly did not expect was the Oprah at

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Winfrey interview in March of twenty twenty one. Variety says

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Many and Netflix were irritated by what they saw as

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poor communication around the interview. The article reports that people

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at the streamer only learned at the last minute that

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Harry and Meghan would sit down with Oprah and reveal

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deeply personal and headline making deals of their lives. A

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spokesperson for the Sussexes denied that strongly, saying it is

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categorically false that Netflix was unaware of the Winfree interview.

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The spokesperson also addressed the broader issue of exclusivity and

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said Netflix and Archball had legal counts involved to oversee

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the evolution of the deal, as is common practice for

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any deal changes in Hollywood. Even so, the article says

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the interview left some inside Netflix feeling burned, although executives

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did not interfere and the program went on to draw

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seventeen point one million linear viewers for CBS. Then came

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the issue of Prince Harry's memoir Spare. Variety says chatter

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about a tell all book began building in twenty twenty one,

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and that Netflix, still unhappy after the operate's surprise, approached

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the couple to discuss what a memoir might mean for

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the release of Harry and Meghan. According to the article,

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Megan allegedly downplayed the likelihood and timing of such a

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book in conversations with Saranders. Her spokesperson denied that too,

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saying it was categorically untrue. There was open communication with

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Netflix months before release to coordinate timing between book and series. Still,

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Variety says Netflix felt blindsided when Penguin Random House formally

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moved ahead with Spare. The article says Saranders was especially

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frustrated because the book was being positioned into land during

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the rollout of the Netflix documentary. A Netflix insider disputed

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that account, saying Sirandas never had the publishing encounter described

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in the piece. Variety says Netflix then moved quickly to

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ensure that Harry and Meghan aired before Spare hit shelves.

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A Netflix inside had denied that it was a last

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minute strategic shift, saying the plan had always been to

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release the series in December of twenty twenty two. More

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Pallas in Just a Moment. The article spends considerable time

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on the making of Harry and Meghan, and especially on

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the editing process, which the user specifically wanted included. Variety

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reports the production on the series was difficult from the start.

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Lana Wilson was initially brought in, but no formal deal

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was completed. Her representatives said she was never formally attached.

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Garrett Bradley was also briefly connected to the project, but

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an archiable source said she was never actually engaged as director. Eventually,

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Sarandas personally appealed to Liz Garbis to take over. The

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article says the working relationship remained smooth until post production.

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Then came the dispute over the final cut. Variety reports

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During editing, Megan appealed to Garbas to remove certain material

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from the series. According to two sources, Meghan said some

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interviews and footage would be upsetting to the royal family,

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especially because Queen Elizabeth had died only two months before

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the documentary was due to premiere and the family was

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still mourning. Garbus declined to comment. The article says some

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Netflix executives internally believed Meghan's request had another motive to

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preserve exclusive revelations for Harry's memoir and satisfy the publisher.

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A Netflix spokesperson denied that interpretation, saying it was not accurate.

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In the end, Harry and Meghan became a major hit.

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Variety said it marked the highest documentary debut ever for Netflix,

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with eighty one million hours viewed in its first four days.

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That success gave the couple a needed boost and briefly

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restored momentum, but the article says that outside new Netflix,

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opinion in Hollywood had already started to sour. It revisits

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the collapse of the couple's Spotify deal and quotes the

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platform's head of Talk strategy, Bill Simmons, who said in

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twenty twenty three that Harry and Meghan were effing grifters.

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Variety also quotes Simmons from twenty twenty two saying, you

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live in effing Montecito and you just sell documentaries podcasts,

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and nobody cares what you have to say about anything

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unless you talk about the royal family, and you just

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complain about them. The report says those comments, along with

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the criticism from then UTA chief Jeremy zimmer damaged the

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couple's standing in the entertainment world. Zimma said, turns out

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Meghan Michael was not a great audio talent, or necessarily

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any kind of talent. Just because you're famous doesn't make

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you great at something. As you can see, there is

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a lot here. We'll pick this back up in the morning,

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but before we go, timing is everything. The plan for

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today was for as Ever to release a new collaboration,

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this time entering the luxury floral space. The Duchess of

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Sussex's brand has partnered with High Camp Supply, a San

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Francis based luxury flower company, to launch a curated bloom box.

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The offering includes eighteen blooms featuring Guardenia's white ponies, mint

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and jasmine and designed to bring a garden style aesthetic

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into the home. The box also incorporates products from Meghan's

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own line, including Herbal peppermint tea and Sage honey, blending

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the floral design with a broader lifestyle branding. And there

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you have it. Planning to email Assortress is the Palace

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Intrigue at gmail dot com. Please fin us on Spotify,

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Apple when the answer the choice. I'm Mark Francis. Thanks

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to John McDermott, this is Palace Intrigue Gondams

Variety Slams Sussexes! Harry and Meghan’s Netflix nightmare: insiders say “we’re done”

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