The Truth About Meghan Markle And Prince Harry's Netflix Deal

Meghan Markle's relationship with Prince Harry has made headlines since day one. The Duchess of Sussex began her career as an actress, appearing in the drama series Suits before she began dating Prince Harry in 2016. The couple married in 2018 and welcomed their first child, Archibald "Archie" Mountbatten-Windsor last year.

The Sussexes stirred up controversy in January 2020, when they abruptly announced that they would be stepping away from the palace and their royal duties and seek financial independence. The couple also decided to spend part of the year in North America, picking out a house in Montecito, Calif. That announcement  — dubbed "Megxit" — came amid continuously aggressive media coverage of the couple, who filed a lawsuit against paparazzi in 2019 for flying a drone over their residence in Los Angeles and trying to take photos of Archie.

Meghan and Harry may have left the palace, but they have not completely stepped out of the spotlight. They inked a lucrative deal with the streaming giant Netflix. Here are all the details about this notable partnership.

Though still without a name, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have founded a production company to produce "documentaries, docu-series, feature films, scripted shows and children's programming," according to The New York Times. While the couple may appear on screen, they will reportedly appear only as themselves. Despite Markle's history of acting, she has been clear that she has no interest in returning to the craft, meaning her and Prince Harry's roles will be mainly on the production side of things. "Our focus will be on creating content that informs but also gives hope," they said in a statement (via the NYT). "As new parents, making inspirational family programming is also important to us."

The couple will be paid by Netflix for its contributions, though the platform has not shared dollar amounts. However, the Duke and Duchess were reportedly in talks with Disney, Apple, and NBCUniversal earlier in the year. Whatever Netflix has offered them, it seems they beat their streaming competitors. When Meghan Markle and Prince Harry stepped away from palace life, they agreed to give up public funding from The Crown. They still, however, have to pay for their high-profile lifestyle, which includes round-the-clock security. Netflix appears to have just given them a way to buoy their budget.