I cannot believe we’re in another gossip newscycle where the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are choosing to remain silent about their business. The same thing happened in 2023, when Spotify ended Harry and Meghan’s contract and Bill Simmons rantingly called them “f–king grifters.” Instead of defending their professional reputations or their work with Spotify, they just… stayed silent and let the story fester and linger. This year, H&M have been cleaning house, especially with their communications people. They’ve seemingly implemented a new strategy which is both reactive and proactive, and it’s been working really well. Actually, it was working well before this week. This week, we learned that Netflix will not renew the Sussexes contract, but they might sign on to a first-look deal with the streamer. It’s unknown. Instead of coming out and clarifying exactly what’s happening, the Sussexes are just… staying silent. From what I can see of the coverage, the Sussexes’ comms team hasn’t said anything or pushed back in any way. Which gives outlets like the Daily Mail to spread these kinds of asinine stories:
Another ‘nail in the coffin’ for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s $100million Netflix deal was that her Napa Valley wine ‘isn’t selling’, an insider at the streaming giant has claimed. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have also fallen out of favour with A-listers, especially the former Suits star, MailOnline’s source has said.
‘No one in Hollywood rates them anymore or wants to be around them, especially her’, the insider said, adding: ‘People are bored with them’.
Netflix, who have been her As Ever brand’s business partner, is believed to have declined to renew the couple’s $100million five-year deal in September after their two most recent shows flopped.
Netflix has been working with Meghan to launch and promote her products, some of which have been made by their preferred suppliers, including her jam.
MailOnline’s insider at the streaming giant has said that Meghan’s rosé, which promises to ‘capture the essence of sun-drenched outdoor moments’, has not been a huge success and this was another ‘nail in the coffin’ for the $100million broadcast deal. ‘The wine isn’t selling’, they said.
Commenting on As Ever’s claims the wine sold out in an hour, the source added: ‘It’s small batch’ – meaning it was only ever produced in a small quantity.
Netflix believes the launch has shown that ‘there isn’t a demand for her wine from a mass market point of view’ and this means a bigger and more lucrative supermarket or department store deal is ‘unlikely’, the source claimed. Customers had to purchase a minimum of three bottles for $90 or six bottles for $159, and 12 bottles for $300. This mean there was a minimum spend of $119, as buyers were also charged $20 for shipping, plus taxes.
2025 has been billed as the year the Sussexes would relaunch. As well as Meghan’s new TV show and lifestyle business, the couple have been out and about at concerts including multiple Beyonce shows. There was also a flurry of activity on Meghan’s Instagram account, including a number of personal family video such as twerking when about to give birth.
‘Meghan hasn’t posted on her own socials for nearly a month’, MailOnline Netflix insider said. ‘The issue is that there’s no consistency and people are bored with them. Many stars go silent and in the background are building their brand and equity but it feels like Harry and Meghan are losing their way even more. The Netflix deal not being renewed will have a big impact on them as they are running out of options of who will work with them and reap in the future. As Ever has a good fan base and a strong database of subscribers to its newsletter but consistency is key and it’s not delivering on this so people will quickly be bored and the novelty is wearing off now for most’.
Obviously, this “Netflix insider” can’t even keep their story straight – the wine isn’t selling, oh but it only sold out because it was a small batch, oh, no one likes them and everyone is bored with them, which is why everyone is watching everything Meghan does and says. The larger problem is that there’s an information vacuum and the Sussexes are once again letting the worst, most deranged people define their business in the public sphere. Why wouldn’t people believe this nonsense if the Mail was “right” about Netflix not renewing their contract with the Sussexes?
Photos courtesy of As Ever’s IG.
