Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Feel 'Something Isn’t Right' Amid Netflix Drama: Expert
As per an insider, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reportedly feel that the very company they partnered with to share their story has undermined that goal.
The high-profile partnership between the Sussexes and Netflix is reportedly nearing a breaking point — a potential legal battle. Following years of their multi-million dollar deal, sources close to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have told royal journalist Rob Shuter that the Duke and Duchess are moving past simple frustration to the serious consideration of a lawsuit against the streaming giant that documented their lives post-leaving the royal fold.
Writing on his Naughty But Nice Substack, Shuter reports that the Sussexes are no longer looking at Netflix as a creative ally — instead, they see a possible breach of contract. Quoting an insider, Shuter wrote, “They’re looking at their contract very carefully…They feel something isn’t right.” The change in tone follows reports that the California-based couple feels increasingly sidelined by the service platform that debuted their record-breaking docuseries, Harry & Meghan — a shift that has led them to reassess their entire standing.
After stepping down as senior working royals in 2020, Harry and Markle’s royal brand is built on privacy — yet, as per the insider, they reportedly feel that the very company they partnered with to share their story has undermined that goal. Sources suggest that the Duke and Duchess are particularly troubled by the idea that private details about their projects and personal lives are being leaked to the press from within the streaming giant. “They’re convinced some of these narratives are coming from inside the Netflix ecosystem,” a source told Shuter.
This isn’t the first time the Duke and Duchess have pointed fingers — in previous years, the couple famously distanced themselves from high-profile friends like David and Victoria Beckham over similar leaks. “In the past, they suspected friends — even the Beckhams — of leaking stories,” the source notes. “Now their focus has shifted” from Hollywood circles to the corporate boardroom. A string of professional disagreements has only added to the friction, specifically the shelving of Markle’s animated series Pearl and a wider reduction in their production slate. While the Sussexes are allegedly planning to take the litigation route, the atmosphere at the top of the Netflix hierarchy is equally frosty.
While public statements from both camps maintain utmost professionalism, rumors suggest that Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos — once one of the couple’s most vocal champions — has significantly distanced himself. Reports suggest that the communication has become so fraught that he avoids direct calls unless legal oversight is present. However, both parties have issued firm denials — with a representative of the Sussexes dismissing these claims as being ‘blatantly false.’
Still, for Harry and Markle, the pivot toward potential lawsuits represents a definitive break from their previous collaborative efforts, marking a more aggressive phase in protecting their interests. As another insider puts it, “This relationship has become very strained…And once lawyers get involved, it’s hard to come back from that.” While no official lawsuit has been filed yet, the message from the Sussexes is clear — as per Shuter, they are ready for a fight. As the insider concludes, “They feel like they’ve been burned…And they’re not taking it lightly.”
