Ever since 2020 kicked off, Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, and Prince Harry have been toiling away with their brainchild, Archewell Productions. This endeavor sprouted from their decision to step back as working senior royals in the British royal family, ultimately marking the end of Sussex Royal. Reportedly, they also secured a substantial deal with Netflix, bagging around $100 million. Despite rolling out three shows, the Sussexes faced an unexpected setback that caught everyone off guard.

A crucial team member of Archewell Productions exited the Sussexes’ camp. This came shortly after the Duchess set high expectations for forthcoming exciting projects. 

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry lost a valuable member of their team 

On the red carpet at Variety’s Power of Women event in Los Angeles last November, the Duchess of Sussex shared that she and Prince Harry had many exciting things on the slate to unveil. Unfortunately, shortly after the tease, one key member, Bennett Levine, who rose to the position of Archewell manager in 2022, departed this month. Levine confirmed his exit with a social media announcement. The ex-manager wrote, “I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position at Cinetic Media”. 

Sources told Richard Eden of Daily Mail, “It’s a blow to the company. There’s no doubt about that”. Known for his contributions to the documentary series that hit the screens in the year 2022, Harry & Meghan, co-produced by Archewell and Netflix, Levine’s unexpected exit has been accompanied by speculations that Netflix might not be renewing its collaboration with Archewell.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are on a countdown with less than a year left on their lucrative Netflix deal. And rumors suggest the outlook is rather dim unless they put on their thinking caps and come up with some fresh ideas.

Are Meghan Markle and Prince Harry losing their Netflix backing after Spotify?

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s substantial $100 million Netflix deal is drawing to a close, yet the Sussex duo is wrapped in a bewildering silence. The ex-working royals have delivered three documentaries to the streaming giant: Live to Lead, Harry & Meghan, and Heart of Invictus. While their self-titled docuseries has resonated well with viewers, the other two have unfortunately been branded as low-rated flops. 

According to royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams, there is still a chance for the Sussexes to salvage the situation if they produce more content. Even music streaming giant Spotify pulled the plug on its £18 million deal with the couple last summer because of a lack of content. Now, a similar narrative seems to be unfolding with Netflix. Could this mark the gradual decline of the Sussexes’ Archewell Productions?

What do you think about this new development in the Sussexes’ Archewell Productions? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!