Prince Harry and Meghan Markle 'ridiculed' at Netflix event weeks before duchess' new show With Love, Meghan airs
The couple signed a multi-million deal with the streaming service in 2020
Some of Hollywood’s biggest names gathered for a Netflix season launch in the US this week, but two high-profile figures were notably absent – Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Despite her upcoming lifestyle series, With Love, Meghan, set to premiere on the streaming giant in March, the Duchess of Sussex, 43, received little attention at the star-studded event.
Worse, the couple became the subject of ridicule when comedian John Mulaney made a biting joke about their Netflix deal.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle mocked during Netflix event
Held at the historic Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles, the event – Next on Netflix – was packed with industry heavyweights, including Ben Affleck and Tina Fey, according to Page Six.
Clips from high-profile projects dominated the showcase.
However, With Love, Meghan barely made an appearance, aside from a fleeting moment in a montage.
Not since Harry and Meghan, has Netflix given more money to someone without a specific plan.
But the most cutting moment came when comedian John Mulaney, promoting his upcoming talk show, quipped: “This is a really fun experiment. Not since Harry and Meghan, has Netflix given more money to someone without a specific plan.”
According to sources in the audience, the remark was apparently met with “snickering” and “whoas”.
Meanwhile, a source who attended the event described the atmosphere as dismissive towards the Sussexes.
“It was shocking to me that Netflix would seemingly allow Meghan and Harry to be ridiculed at such a prestige event,” she told the Daily Mail. “The head honchos were all there. And how strange that a show by the couple who signed a multi-million dollar deal with Netflix barely featured – apart from one brief clip in a montage.”
Harry and Meghan’s Netflix deal has ‘disappointed’ executives
Harry and Meghan’s reported $100 million (£80 million) Netflix deal was signed in 2020. It was initially seen as a landmark partnership.
Their six-part docuseries Harry & Meghan was a ratings success, drawing millions of viewers. However, their subsequent projects have reportedly disappointed Netflix executives.
Their latest series, Polo – focused on Prince Harry’s passion for the sport – was panned. With only 25% on Rotten Tomatoes, The Guardian called the documentary series “unintentionally hilarious”.
Other projects, including Heart of Invictus and Live to Lead, also received lukewarm responses apparently.
Who is Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex?
Meghan Markle was born on August 4, 1981, in California, United States. She is currently 43 years old. She had a career in acting before marrying into the royal family in 2018.
What did Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex do before joining the monarchy?
Former actress Meghan had a string of acting roles before she met Prince Harry, most famously playing the role of Rachel Zane in legal drama Suits.
Her acting career began at Northwestern University.
The duchess also wrote a lifestyle blog named The Tig and became heavily involved in charity work - which has continued since she met Harry.
Marrying Prince Harry
Meghan married into the royal family on May 19, 2018, when she and Prince Harry tied the knot at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.
Just a few months after their wedding, Meghan and Harry announced they were expecting their first child. They welcomed Prince Archie on May 6, 2019.
Two years later on June 4, 2021, the couple welcomed a daughter named Princess Lilibet. She was named after the late Queen Elizabeth II - whose nickname was Lilibet.
Months after welcoming son Archie, Prince Harry and Meghan announced they were stepping down from their senior royal roles within the royal family. They then moved to the United States and have lived there since.
Meghan has made a return to the entertainment world, launching projects with Netflix alongside Harry. In January 2025, she announced a lifestyle show named With Love, Meghan, which will see her giving cooking and gardening tips to viewers alongside a host of celebrity guests. It will premiere on March 4, 2025.
Netflix originally set to air With Love, Meghan, on January 15. Now it will premiere on March 4. In a statement, Meghan said she wanted to delay the series amid the LA wildfires.
According to a PR expert, this Netflix delay “needed to happen”.
Speaking exclusively to Royal Insider, Brand and Culture expert Nick Ede said: “The move from Meghan and Netflix to change the date of her new TV show With Love, Meghan is a move that needed to happen. As a resident of California who is caught in the middle of one of the worst natural disasters they have ever experienced, it would have seemed tone deaf to have aired the show.”
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