Netflix Clips Meghan Markle's Director Dreams ― Sources Say Things 'Got Out of Hand Fast'
A royal journalist has detailed that Meghan had big plans for her upcoming rom-com, but Netflix was quick to shut down her creative aspirations.
Meghan Markle has grabbed the headlines again, and for all the wrong reasons. After her recent Archewell shake-up, a royal journalist now suggests that her dreams of being a director have been met with a resounding 'no' from Netflix. Royal commentator Rob Shutter detailed that the Duchess of Sussex had big plans for her upcoming rom-com, The Wedding Date. While she and Prince Harry are producing the project, Markle also eyed the director's chair, a request the streaming giant shut down pretty quickly.
Under their newly revised Netflix deal, the couple had secured a first-look agreement through their company Archewell Productions. Based on the best-selling novel by Jasmine Guillory, the book has a special connection with Harry and Markle, as it was released in 2018, the same year the two got married. While everything seemed to be going according to plan, the Duchess was allegedly looking for more creative control, which created strain between her and Netflix. "It got out of hand fast... They are fine with Meghan as a producer,” Shutter quoted one insider on his Substack, “but giving her the director’s chair? That was never going to happen. Netflix is not interested.”
As per the insider, the Duchess was “trying to micromanage” everything, from casting choices to camera angles. Having had enough, the streaming platform allegedly drew a firm line. The rom-com in question is the first one in a six-book adaptation deal, but as per Shutter, the power dynamic between Netflix and the Sussexes has shifted drastically, with the streamer now setting clearer limits on creative control. Another source told him, “Their new deal is for much less money,” adding, “Producing is allowed. Directing is off-limits. The rules are very clear now.” Another insider quipped, “She may have the title, but Netflix still calls the shots.”
The reported Netflix pushback has also revived long-running claims about Markle’s tendency to control things. In fact, in 2024, as per GB News, the Duchess was having a tough time hiring a new CEO for her lifestyle brand, As Ever, after a former staff member claimed she was 'condescending' and 'unbearable.' Royal expert Kinsey Schofield also claimed that the couple will definitely “have a hard time” finding staff who would want to work for them. The reports aren't simply about being controlling; the Duchess has also faced bullying rumors in the past. The allegations first erupted in 2018, prompting the Palace to take serious steps and start an investigation.
The independent review of the allegations began in 2021, and by June 2022, the Palace announced that the investigation was complete and that "lessons have been learned." Such claims resurfaced in June 2025 again when the Sussexes' tenth publicist, Emily Robinson, resigned after just four months. Speaking to The Sun, royal expert Ingrid Seward noted, “It must be quite chaotic working for the Sussexes,” adding, “It seems to me that Meghan wants to control everything.” Despite the claims, Markle has consistently denied the allegations.
