Ever since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle went rogue on the royal family, Netflix has been their savior. Soon after shifting to the United States, they signed a multi-million-dollar deal with the OTT giant, which allows them to bring projects close to their hearts to life. After their explosive 2022 Netflix documentary, Harry & Meghan, the couple took it slow and came up with their cooking show, With Love, Meghan.
However, now Markle is eager to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Princess Diana’s death with a special biopic, and she is also reportedly eyeing the director’s chair. According to reports from insiders, as highlighted by Rob Shuter, Harry and his darling wife are planning to develop a special feature film on Diana to pay an ode to her life and legacy. They have been discussing the plan for years, but now they are finally acting upon it and even talking to writers and producers.
“They’ve been meeting with writers, agents, and producers, breaking story and talking casting,” revealed an insider to the journalist. Just like with the Sussexes’ every other project, Markle wants to control every aspect of it. “Meghan is intensely hands-on and wants control from start to finish,” explained the source. With their previous shows underperforming, the Sussexes want to be extra cautious with their work, but are also sure that having Diana’s name attached to the project will work in their favor.
“Their earlier shows underperformed, but a Diana project changes everything,” added the source. Netflix is also sure that the upcoming project is a blockbuster, given its plot and agenda. “This could be the crown jewel. It’s the one project that could make the entire deal worth it,” added an executive insider to the OTT giant. They also detailed that Harry is very emotional about the project and is playing a strategic role. He wants to ensure the emotional authenticity, but his wife has the power to make the final decision.
Previously, an insider revealed to The Royalist their doubts about the project’s success. “It’s hard to see at this point how and why the relationship endures unless there is something juicy and possibly Diana-shaped being dangled,” they opined. According to the source, Harry and Markle’s deal with Netflix has not been beneficial for the latter, but any project with Diana involved indeed holds the power to change the narrative.
“It’s certainly not been a hugely productive deal thus far…But if there’s something Diana-related indeed coming, you could see that as something Netflix would certainly maintain the relationship for, at a price,” they added. Insiders feel Harry and Markle are going ahead with the project just to remain in Netflix’s good books. It will also be interesting to see how the royal family reacts to it. Prince William has always been protective of the monarchy and will not be happy if Harry once again maligns their image. This might also hinder whatever chances Harry has of reconciling with his family if the project fails to deliver.
