Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s £112m Netflix deal to be ‘examined’ by Palace over commercial links

PRINCE Harry and Meghan Markle's £120m Netflix deal will be "examined" by the Palace over its commercial links.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex signed the production deal with the streaming giant to make content that would inform and "give hope" to audiences.

⚠️ Read our Meghan and Harry blog for the latest news on the Royal couple.

But an insider today claimed the commercial deal would be "scrutinised" - particularly as the couple were still paying back the £2.4million for refurbishments to Frogmore Cottage.

The source : "Harry and Meghan did leave as working members of the family with everyone’s best wishes and it is sincerely hoped they find the happiness that appeared to be lacking in their lives.

"However, it goes without saying any deals they are making will be scrutinised by the royal household.

"Under the terms of their deal to forgo their royal duties, they agreed any commercial deals would be subject to discussion."

The source pointed out the Netflix deal was similar to speaking engagements or corporate work that would be scrutinised.

Royal watchers have crowned the deal as "historic" for Netflix with experts suggesting it could be worth anywhere from £75million.

The source added: "Both the Royal Family and senior courtiers will be aware of how this looks to the public, especially as the couple have not yet paid back the £2.4million they promised to refund to the taxpayer for Frogmore Cottage, which will be their UK base."

Overnight, former Lib Dem MP Norman Baker said the rich couple should also pay for security of Frogmore and their own travel costs - which are currently covered by due to their HRH status.

He said: "They should pay the taxpayer back immediately for Frogmore renovations rather than wait eleven years.

"They can both definitely afford it. They should either pay it when the Netflix money arrives or give up the cottage."

As part of the deal, Meghan, 39, and Harry, 35, who have never produced a TV show, will make documentaries, films, scripted and kids’ programmes for Netflix's 193m subscribers.

They are rumoured to have made millions with the deal, with one PR guru even suggesting they could earn £112m - potentially rising to almost £200million with bonuses.

Announcing the deal last night, the couple said: "Our lives, both independent of each other, and as a couple have allowed us to understand the power of the human spirit: of courage, resilience, and the need for connection.

"Through our work with diverse communities and their environments, to shining a light on people and causes around the world, our focus will be on creating content that informs but also gives hope.

"As new parents, making inspirational family programming is also important to us, as is powerful storytelling through a truthful and relatable lens."

Ted Sarandos, Netflix’s co-chief executive and chief content officer, said in a statement: "We’re incredibly proud they have chosen Netflix as their creative home and are excited about telling stories with them that can help build resilience and increase understanding for audiences everywhere."

Earlier this summer, the royal couple moved into a £11m home in Santa Barbara after their stay in Tyler Perry's £14m LA mansion.

The couple now live in a £11m nine-bedroom and 16-bathroom mansion in upscale Montecito, Santa Barbara.