Netflix renews partnership with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry under first-look deal

Netflix has formally renewed its creative alliance with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry in a multi-year, first-look arrangement via their Archewell Productions, and yes, Netflix is still at the center of this ongoing saga! The news comes as their initial five-year deal, signed in 2020, was nearing its end, and Netflix preferred a new first-look arrangement over a complete severance.

This new Netflix agreement identifies future projects, including a second season of the life series With Love, Meghan, a holiday special With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration, the documentary short Masaka Kids, A Rhythm Within, and the scripted film version of Meet Me at the Lake. Netflix maintains an early window to these titles without exclusivity, a sign of a changing partnership.

What the new Netflix deal entails

Netflix now has a first-look deal: Archewell may submit new movie and TV concepts to Netflix first, but may shop them elsewhere if Netflix rejects.

Although the initial 2020 agreement, said to be valued at close to $100 million, was relatively high-end, this deal seems more modest, signaling a strategic move by Netflix toward flexible, scalable partnerships.

Coming soon on Netflix

With Love, Meghan – Season 2

According to The New York Times, the second installment of the cooking and lifestyle show With Love, Meghan will be released on Netflix in August 2025. The initial season was released in March and became the streaming platform's most-viewed food program in early 2025, garnering around 5.3 million views.

With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration

A December special under the Netflix banner, the holiday episode will see Meghan leading holiday preparations, from putting together and decorating to making meaningful gifts, with the "warmth, tradition, and a generous dose of joy" viewers anticipate.

Masaka Kids, A Rhythm Within

This short doc, coming later in 2025 on Netflix, shines a light on children at an orphanage in Uganda's Masaka region as their dance videos have garnered attention online.

Meet Me at the Lake (Feature Film)

Archewell and Netflix are in development with a movie take on Carley Fortune's book Meet Me at the Lake, about a decade-long romance. Production details are lean at present.

Historical context and strategic changes

Meghan and Harry signed their initial Netflix deal in September 2020 under Archewell Productions, for scripted and unscripted series, documentary-type shows, and kids' programming.

The deal yielded Harry & Meghan, Heart of Invictus, Live to Lead, Polo, and With Love, Meghan.

By June 2025, there were indications that Netflix was shifting away from exclusive, expensive deals towards first-look arrangements, a trend evident in its agreement with the Higher Ground of Barack and Michelle Obama.

Though a few of the productions underperformed (e.g., With Love, Meghan ranked outside of Netflix's Top 300; Polo underperformed as well), Netflix again established Meghan and Harry as "influential voices" whose stories resonate with people worldwide.

Neutral observations

The new Netflix contract highlights ongoing ties between the streaming service and Archewell, offset by increased flexibility and reduced upfront commitments.

The mix of future cookery-based programming, socially-focused documentary, and feature-film production equates to a mixed slate for Netflix, with no aggressive promotion, simply the extension of a business agreement.