What Happened to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle?

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, made headlines in early 2020 with their decision to step back as senior working royals and pursue financial independence, ultimately relocating to Montecito, California. This move marked their entry into the competitive world of Hollywood content creation, with ambitions to produce impactful media through their Archewell brand.

Their initial foray into Hollywood was characterized by two major deals: a reported $100 million multi-year production deal with Netflix in September 2020 and a $20-25 million podcast deal with Spotify in late 2020. Through Archewell Productions, they aimed to create scripted series, films, documentaries, and children's programming. Their most notable early success on Netflix was the six-part docuseries 'Harry & Meghan,' released in December 2022, which offered an intimate look into their lives and departure from the Royal Family, becoming one of Netflix's most-watched documentary series.

However, their Hollywood journey has not been without its challenges. The Spotify deal, intended for multiple podcast series, primarily yielded Meghan's 'Archetypes' podcast, which launched in August 2022 and quickly topped Spotify charts. Despite its initial popularity and a Gracie award for Meghan, the partnership was mutually terminated in June 2023 after just one season and 12 episodes, with a Spotify executive reportedly calling them 'f*ing grifters.' Meghan later launched another podcast series, 'Confessions of a Female Founder,' with Lemonada Media in 2025, but it only produced nine episodes and was not renewed for a second season.

On the Netflix front, Prince Harry's 'Heart of Invictus' docuseries, focusing on the Invictus Games, premiered in August 2023. Archewell Productions continued to develop projects, including the 2024 'Polo' documentary, Meghan's lifestyle series 'With Love, Meghan' (released March 2025), and a documentary 'Masaka Kids: A Rhythm Within.' In August 2025, their Netflix contract was renewed, but reportedly downgraded to a less lucrative 'first-look deal,' giving Netflix first refusal on projects. Meghan also launched her lifestyle brand, 'American Riviera Orchard,' in 2024, later rebranded as 'As Ever' in 2025, which initially partnered with Netflix for equity. However, Netflix ended its equity partnership with 'As Ever' in March 2026, though the brand continues under Meghan's leadership.

Recent developments in August 2026 indicate a significant shift. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are reportedly planning to move back to the UK with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, later this month, with their children enrolled in a British school for September. While they intend to maintain their Montecito home and a vacation property in Portugal, this move signals a partial retreat from their full-time California life. Industry insiders have suggested that their Netflix deal is 'little by little being wound down' as the streaming giant focuses on content with the Palace. Meghan is reportedly in talks for a 'top secret' acting role in a UK-based production, potentially for Netflix's 'The Gentlemen' series, which some speculate is a reason for their return. Prince Harry was also ordered to pay an initial £9.5 million (US$13 million) in legal costs to the publisher of Britain's Daily Mail newspaper following a failed invasion of privacy case, with potential for further costs. Despite the mixed outcomes, Archewell Productions continues to have projects in development, including an unnamed polo drama, a film adaptation of 'Meet Me at the Lake,' and a war memoir adaptation 'No Way Out' for Netflix.