Prince Harry and Meghan‘s explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021 sent shockwaves around the world – and, according to new claims, around the offices of Netflix’s head honchos.
The jaw-dropping sit-down came just months after the couple had signed a multi-year production deal with the streaming giant, estimated to be worth around $85 million.
The jewel in the crown of the agreement was to be the docu-series Harry & Meghan, an in-depth look at their dramatic exit from the royal family in 2020, featuring previously-unseen footage and details – and Netflix reportedly began working on it immediately after signing them.
According to Variety, their decision to open up to Oprah therefore came as a massive shock, with sources at Netflix telling the publication that bosses had only found out about the interview “at the last minute”. While it didn’t violate any terms of their deal, the insiders added, they were still “annoyed” by the “lack of communication”.
A spokesman for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex has denied the claims, branding them “categorically false”.
The Oprah interview, which included Meghan’s admission that she had contemplated suicide, that an unnamed member of the royal family had questioned the colour of Prince Archie’s skin, and that the Princess of Wales had made her cry, unsurprisingly proved a blockbuster ratings hit for US network CBS.
Within the Variety article, it was also alleged that Netflix once again felt “blindsided” when they discovered that Penguin Random House was planning to publish Harry’s bombshell memoir, Spare, around the same time as the Harry & Meghan premiere.
Sources claimed to the Hollywood industry bible that Netflix “acted immediately to have Harry & Meghan air in its entirety before the book hit shelves.”
The royal docu-series aired in December 2022 and became a major success for Netflix, while Spare was released early the following month and became the fastest-selling nonfiction book of all time.
The Sussex spokesperson also called claims that there were issues with transparency around the book and Netflix, branding it “categorically untrue – there was open communication with Netflix months before release to coordinate timing between book and series.”
The blistering Variety article comes just a fortnight after it was reported that Meghan and Netflix had agreed to part ways after signing up as partners on her As Ever brand just a year ago.
It was reported at the time that it was an amicable and mutual split. It came just months after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s eye-watering multi-year Netflix production agreement was transitioned to a “first-look deal”.
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