Queen’s tick of approval needed: Harry and Meghan’s Netflix deal still up in the air
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle spent months shopping around various Hollywood studios before landing their mammoth Netflix deal, but the Queen still has to approve it.
A palace insider has claimed that despite the excited announcement, the deal is still “subject to discussion”, according to British media reports.
The couple, who made the decision to forgo royal funding in favour of making their own way, still need to gain palace approval for any profile-oriented plans.
It has been reported that palace officials are currently in the process of reviewing the arrangement, but have some concerns about the deal’s rumoured $US150 million price tag ($206 million).
Some reports suggest the deal is worth significantly less than $US150 million. Photo: Getty
Royal officials reportedly fear the Netflix deal might be a bad look for the couple, who have yet to pay back British taxpayers for the £2.4 million ($4.3 million) renovation of the former home,Frogmore Cottage.
And while the lucrative Netflix deal will strengthen the Sussexes place in Hollywood, it’s been met with mix responses.
Fans have taken to social media to criticise the deal and question the couple’s qualifications, threatening to delete their Netflix accounts altogether.
Meghan Markle who has the history of dividing families. @netflix never thought of this? #cancelnetflix #Megxit https://t.co/6zwpHIladU
— Pamieg (@ChicDelights8) September 3, 2020
Prince Harry isn’t the first royal to pursue a career as a Hollywood producer.
Hi uncle, Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex, the Queen’s third son, launched a production company of his own in 1993.
After writing and narrating two BBC films about the Duke of Edinburgh awards, Prince Edward founded theatre and television company Ardent Productions.
The company produced two TV movie flops about the royal family, and in 2002 the Earl stepped down from the company after news outlets branded the venture a “royal cock-up”.
Inking the deal…
Unlike Prince Edward, the Sussexes are hoping for better luck and have quietly attended a number of meetings with some of Hollywood’s biggest studios.
Executives from Disney and Apple, who were involved in negotiations with Prince Harry, Markle and their representatives, said they were looking for deals around the $US100 million mark.
While the Netflix deal is reported to be worth US$150 million, some reports have suggested that figure is exaggerated.
Page Six reported that Hollywood insiders believed the deal was worth significantly less, with one top US talent agent saying he would be “shocked” if the Sussexes’ were landing “more than $2 million per year”.
Markle worked with Disney+ narrating a documentary called Elephants, which was released in April.
The 39-year-old former actress also reportedly put her Suits connections to good use by setting up a meeting with executives from NBCUniversal Content Studios, as well as its chairman, Bonnie Hammer.
Omid Scobie, author of Harry and Meghan’s biography, Finding Freedom, said the pair were taking note of Michelle and Barack Obama’s business ventures after signing with the same speaking company, Harry Walker Agency.
“Think of a working model not too dissimilar to what the Obamas created after leaving the White House,” Scobie said.
“When they set up their Higher Ground production company and later signed a multi-year production deal with Netflix to produce movies and documentaries that cover issues such as race, class, democracy and civil rights.”
“Best friend” has Meghan’s back….
Jamil is also a vocal online activist. Photo: Getty
Meanwhile, The Good Place actor Jameela Jamil has hit back at claims she and Markle are “best friends”.
False reports emerged suggesting that the actor and her boyfriend, James Blake, had driven from their home in Los Angeles to Santa Barbara to spend time with the royals.
“Went to a hotel in [Santa Barbara] for a romantic getaway with my boyfriend … and have seen eight days of articles with increasingly ridiculous stories, none of which are consistent, none of which make sense,” Jamil wrote on Twitter.
“I’ve met this woman once. Ever. #BestFriends.”
https://twitter.com/jameelajamil/status/1301485346203394048
Jamil also went on to call out racist coverage of Markle in UK tabloids, criticising them for racially-motivated, abusive headlines about the Sussexes.
“They are scrambling to justify years of racially motivated abuse/harassment by turning the public against her based,” she wrote.
“Remember how they printed she would “thicken the Royal blue blood with EXOTIC DNA?”
