Why A Source Believes Harry And Meghan Are Ignorant In Their Netflix Proceedings

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's deal with Netflix is reportedly worth a whopping $100 million, but the celebrity couple has yet to actually produce any content for the streaming giant. 

Making matters worse, the duchess' pet project, an animated series called "Pearl," was just axed amid a wave of cutbacks. Deadline confirmed the news, noting that the show — which was created by Meghan through the couple's Archewell Productions and executive produced by Elton John's husband, David Furnish — had been in the works since last summer when it was announced to the world.

"Like many girls her age, our heroine Pearl is on a journey of self-discovery as she tries to overcome life's daily challenges," Meghan detailed at the time. "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." 

Alongside "Pearl," Netflix also scrapped plans for two other children's shows. Subscriber numbers have dropped considerably, leading the streaming platform to reconsider its near-constant churning out of content.

However, sources claim Meghan and Harry's inexperience may be hurting their lucrative partnership with Netflix, regardless of anything else going on. 

Meghan Markle absolutely refuses to back down on one of her post-royal projects, taking the recent shock cancellation of animated series "Pearl" in stride. Insider sources confirmed to The U.S. Sun that she and Prince Harry are actively brainstorming how to move forward with the project. 

They're even looking to pitch "Pearl" to rival streaming services and TV networks, such as the big-name likes of Apple and Amazon. Under their current deal with Netflix, the Sussexes are free to sell their ideas elsewhere once they've been given first refusal.

Although the show is a pet project of the former "Suits" star, in particular, Meghan and executive producer David Furnish are willing to work with their team "to see what could be tweaked" to make "Pearl" a more enticing prospect. 

As a source stated plainly, "There was a huge feeling of excitement about 'Pearl' and a hope that its journey is not over." The insider added, "They are not giving up on this project because Netflix said no." Furnish will be looking to his industry pals to see how best to approach the future of the project. 

Elsewhere, "Heart of Invictus," the celebrity couple's documentary about the Invictus Games, is still due for release on Netflix. Per Us Weekly, the project was announced in April 2021. 

And, yet, there's still reason to believe that Meghan and Harry's future with the streaming giant may be in doubt.

The Duke of Sussex recently gave a revealing interview to "Today" about his relationship with the queen and his feelings about the U.K. in general, as the New York Post noted. 

Netflix is reportedly annoyed with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's behavior as a result, believing they should have been given the exclusive, especially since a camera crew was following the couple for "Heart of Invictus" at the time. According to The Sun, the Sussexes are disappointed that the relationship has soured, especially since they thought their ideas would be immediately greenlit by the streamer.

An anonymous source, who works as a consultant with various services, including Netflix, explained that Meghan and Harry might not have fully understood how their deal would work.

"Certainly there was a belief that they thought that 'Pearl' would simply be presented and released. The word was that they were saddened the show was not picked up," they shared. "But of course people forget that each project faces vetting and the business has the right to veto projects, delete scenes and oversee editorial direction in their work."

Although the former royals are among the most famous people in the world, at the end of the day, Netflix is a business first and must do what's in its best interests. If Meghan and Harry expect special treatment, they're going to be sorely disappointed.

Moreover, the industry insider pointed out to The Sun, "The deal may be millions on paper, but they are absolutely not allowed to make whatever they want." Once all is said and done, the couple won't walk away with the entire figure, either. 

Everybody who works on their projects, once they actually materialize, will need to be compensated accordingly. As another source told The Sun, "Nobody can expect to turn up, say this is what it is and then get money. It doesn't work like that. It never has." 

The Sussexes will be expected to keep the network happy while also pushing their creative vision — as difficult as that might be — just like everybody else. They're going to have to come up with a hit sooner rather than later, though, if industry scuttlebutt is to be believed.

Per the Daily Mail, "Harry and Meghan's slate of projects could be in jeopardy as they have announced plans to make shows that are educational and inspiring, rather than sexy and sensational."

This, coupled with Harry's decision to speak to NBC about his relationship with the royal family, has reportedly put the future of the couple's partnership with Netflix in danger. The streaming giant's cameras notably also won't be allowed to follow the Sussexes inside Buckingham Palace during the upcoming Platinum Jubilee celebrations, which may cause further issues within their working relationship.