Netflix Insider Reveals Reason Behind Meghan Markle's Brand Split — And It's Not What She's Claiming
The Duchess of Sussex may have reframed the split as reclaiming control—but a new insider account suggests the streamer had its own reasons to let go.
There are two sides to every story, and when it comes to Meghan Markle's much-publicized break from Netflix, the streaming giant has one of its own. While the narrative from the Duchess's camp painted the separation as nothing more than a power move, sources inside Netflix are telling a rather different tale.
The 43-year-old launched her lifestyle brand As Ever last year under an exclusive partnership with Netflix, a collaboration that, on paper, was a natural fit. Her cooking show, With Love, Meghan, had given her a platform, and the brand was poised to capitalize on it. But according to an insider who spoke to The Daily Mail, the reality on the ground was well short of expectations, and Netflix’s frustration was quietly building long before the formal split was announced.
"Netflix was not happy," the source said. "They were not happy with the fact that no one really cared about the brand, so when they were looking to create As Ever areas in Netflix House, there was no appetite for it."
The lukewarm reception reportedly made the prospect of carving out dedicated physical retail space for As Ever a non-starter. "It just didn't fit with Squid Game or Stranger Things or Bridgerton like they had hoped," the insider added. And what is hitting here is Markle’s own version of events, which is a major contrast. Sources close to the Duchess had previously maintained that As Ever ‘always intended’ to be sold through her own website rather than through physical retail ventures like Netflix House, and that the recent departure was part of a natural evolution and not a rupture.
Last week, reports emerged that Markle had grown concerned that Netflix was "holding her brand back" and, as a result, had moved to take complete control of As Ever as a result.
However, amid all of this, the relationship between Markle and Netflix's leadership has not soured. According to The Sun, she is said to be "on good terms" with Netflix chief Ted Sarandos, with a source noting, "Meghan is still on good terms with the Netflix team and close personal friends with Ted, so hasn't wanted to upset him but is very happy to have full control of the company." The same source suggested that, "It's a good time for Meghan to have complete control, given recent successes."
Whether those successes are enough to sustain a standalone brand—without the infrastructure and global reach of a partner like Netflix—remains the open question. The source acknowledged that the streamer had played a meaningful role in getting her here: "Netflix have been a good partner, but she's wanted to go global with the brand for some time but has been held back by the more cautious Netflix team." As for her television presence, that chapter isn't closing either. A source confirmed that With Love, Meghan will live on, returning as a seasonal special on the platform.
