The highs and lows of Prince Harry and Meghan's working relationship with Netflix: A timeline

After months of speculation about a breakdown in the relationship between the Sussexes and Netflix, there's now confirmation of a new deal being struck.

Prince Harry and Meghan will continue working with the streaming giant, that is, if their ideas are good enough.

They have extended their partnership with the company with a "multi-year, first look deal for all its film and television projects", according to a statement shared on Monday August 11 (Tuesday in Australia).

READ MORE: Harry and Meghan's new Netflix deal comes with conditions

The couple has also revealed two new projects that will come before the end of the year.

While the new deal secures their future working in showbusiness for the foreseeable future, it is not a guarantee of their ideas being turned into new content.

Under the new agreement, Netflix will be given first dibs on any ideas the Sussexes come up with rather than funding the couple's entire production output.

Meghan said she and Prince Harry were "proud", adding: "My husband and I feel inspired by our partners who work closely with us and our Archewell Productions team to create thoughtful content across genres that resonates globally and celebrates our shared vision."

So, will viewers tune in to what the Sussex have to offer this time around?

READ MORE: William, Harry's new battle to 'uphold Diana's true legacy'

Their previous projects have been hit and miss, bringing in mixed reactions.

Here's what Prince Harry and Meghan, through Archewell Productions, have delivered on Netflix.

December 2022: Harry & Meghan

Prince Harry and Meghan's most successful project with Netflix so far was their first.

The six-part docu-series Harry & Meghan, became the streamer's biggest documentary debut ever when it premiered in December 2022, generating 23.4 million views in its first four days.

But the series was widely criticised and viewing quickly dropped off in later episodes.

The series drew international attention as it gave viewers an intimate look into Prince Harry and Meghan's lives, with the first episode delving into their break from the royal family and relocation to Canada and then onto the US.

Subsequent episodes saw damaging claims levelled at the royal family, with Prince Harry taking aim at his brother Prince William saying he was "terrified" during an argument.

They also complained about their home on the grounds of Kensington Palace being "so small", while Harry claimed his wife was "doing the job better" within the monarchy than "those born to do it".

The series also included home videos and family photos featuring Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, giving the public a first proper look at their two children whose privacy they had previously fiercely guarded.

December 2022: Live to Lead

Made in collaboration with the Nelson Mandela Foundation and inspired by the late South African leader, Live to Lead was a documentary series that came weeks after the successful Harry & Meghan.

The couple lent their voices to the seven-part series which featured pre-recorded interviews with global leaders and activists including climate change activist Greta Thunberg, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Jacinda Ardern and Gloria Steinem.

Both Harry and Meghan served as executive producers and appeared briefly at the start of each episode to introduce its subject.

But it failed to find an audience and was even panned as "motivational gloop" by one reviewer.

August 2023: Heart of Invictus

"Probably Harry at his best" was the verdict from Heart of Invictus from The Times UK, which gave this documentary four out of five stars, adding "it helps that Meghan barely features in it".

The five-part series followed competitors training for the 2023 Invictus Games in Düsseldorf, Germany, and charted Prince Harry's journey in creating the competition in 2014 following his own military service.

One of the most emotional moments of the series was Prince Harry speaking about how the experience of war brought back memories of his mother's death.

"Losing my mum at such a young age, the trauma that I had I was never really aware of," he said.

"It was never discussed, I never really talked about it and I suppressed it like most youngsters would have done."

He also accused the royal family of failing to support him, emotionally, when he returned from Afghanistan.

"The biggest struggle for me was no one around me really could help," he said.

"I didn't have that support structure, that network, or that expert advice to identify what was actually going on with me."

December 2024: Polo

This five-part documentary followed a season of the American polo championship, culminating with Sentebale charity polo tournament in Florida in the final episode in which Harry and Meghan finally made an appearance.

Because the Sussexes were absent for most of the series, Polo was widely seen as a look into a rich person's sport with any real lack of star power from the royal couple.

"What it doesn't have much of is Harry and Meghan, who, in a historic first, manage not to make it all about them," The Telegraph UK's Ed Power wrote in his review.

One of the most talked-about moments (we are reaching, here) was when Meghan spoke fluent Spanish with the Argentine polo player Adolfo Cambiaso.

March 2025: With Love, Meghan

The duchess saw success with the debut of her cooking and lifestyle show but nothing compared to the interest Harry & Meghan drew in 2022.

In March the eight-part series debuted in Netflix's Global Top 10 TV list and reached the Top 10 in 24 countries, including Australia.

But it failed to break into the streaming giant's top 300 shows for the first half of the year, with just 5.3 million views.

With Love, Meghan saw the duchess firmly relaunch herself as a lifestyle guru, inviting viewers into her carefully-curated Montecito world (but not actually filming the series inside her home).

As this publication wrote in a review: "This is the most significant project Meghan has taken on that doesn't involve trashing the monarchy for monetary gain".

One of the most telling insights into the duchess' life came in episode two with guest Mindy Kaling, when duchess looked momentarily horrified when the comedian-actress referred to her as "Meghan Markle".

"It's so funny you keep saying, Meghan Markle, you know, I'm Sussex now," she told Kaling.

The duchess was heavily mocked for her cooking skills including a one-pot pasta dish, her advice to parents on how to make mornings more "fun" by arranging their children's breakfast into a rainbow-shaped platter of fruit, and hosting a birthday party for kids... without any youngsters.

Meghan showed a penchant for putting edible flower sprinkles on pretty much everything, with the series tying-in with the launch of her brand As ever which started selling items – including honey, jam, shortbread mix and, yes, flower sprinkles – a month later.

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As ever has since expanded to include wine and is expected to branch into hospitality and entertaining in the near future.

August 2025: With Love, Meghan (Season 2)

Later this month Season 2 of With Love, Meghan will premier. The second season was filmed back to back with the first and announced soon after episode eight dropped.

A number of guests have been teased including Chrissy Teigen, José Andrés and Jamie Kern Lima, who appeared on Meghan's podcast earlier this year.

"From playful cooking challenges to DIY projects, Meghan and her guests explore bold flavours, experiment with new techniques, and discover simple ways to add beauty to everyday life," Netflix said in a statement on August 11.

"It's all about embracing playfulness over perfection and finding joy in creating together."

December 2025: With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration

Described as "a magical holiday celebration" this Christmas-themed episode of With Love will likely be lapped up by those who love a traditional and over-the-top American festive feast.

"Together, friends and family deck the halls, create holiday feasts, craft heartfelt gifts, and share lots of laughs – with simple how-tos to follow at home," Netflix said.

"It's a holiday wonder with warmth, tradition, and a generous dose of joy."

It might remind some of Harry and Meghan's Christmas podcast on Spotify, which saw little Archie mutter his first words in public.

Coming soon: Masaka Kids, A Rhythm Within and Meet Me at the Lake

One of the first new offerings from Prince Harry and Meghan under their new arrangement with Netflix will be a documentary short about a Ugandan orphanage called Masaka Kids, A Rhythm Within.

It is based on a group of African orphans whose dance videos have become a YouTube sensation.

The project is described as going "beyond the viral videos to reveal a vibrant, one-of-a-kind community where orphaned children transform hardship into joy, dancing their way toward healing, belonging, and the promise of a brighter future".

It is due to air by the end of the year, along with an adaptation of the bestselling romantic novel Meet Me at the Lake, by Carley Fortune.

The project is still in the works despite reports suggesting it had been shelved.

And the one that got away...

Meghan had hoped to develop an animated series called Pearl, about a little girl who finds inspiration through key women in history.

In May, 2022, it was announced the series had been shelved as part of recent "strategic decisions" by Netflix about animated series.

It was due to be due to be executive produced by the duchess and David Furnish, a filmmaker and husband to Sir Elton John.

When it was announced Meghan said in a statement: "Like many girls her age, our heroine Pearl is on a journey of self-discovery as she tries to overcome life's daily challenges.

"I'm thrilled that Archewell Productions, partnered with the powerhouse platform of Netflix and these incredible producers, will together bring you this new animated series which celebrates extraordinary women throughout history."

The series was quietly dropped following a decline in subscribers to the streaming platform.

Nine Entertainment Co (the publisher of this website) owns and operates the streaming service Stan.

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