Meghan Markle and Prince Harry ‘shopped themselves around’ before signing £112m Netflix deal, boss Reed Hastings reveals
MEGHAN Markle and Prince Harry "shopped themselves around" for a big money TV deal before settling on Netflix, the firm's boss Reed Hastings revealed.
The streaming giant's co-CEO claimed the Sussexes offered themselves to "all major companies" before bagging themselves the deal thought to be worth £112million.
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Hastings, 59, praised the couple as "smart" for considering all their options before ultimately settling on Netflix.
The boss credits his firm with "putting together the best complete package" to lure Harry and Meghan to the platform.
"I'm so excited about that deal," Hastings said while he appeared on .
He went on: "They're smart, they were shopping it around across all the major companies and I think we really put together the best complete package."
Hastings, who is worth £4billion, boasted he believes that Harry and Meghan's content will be the "most viewed" on Netflix in 2021.
He did not reveal any further details about the deal which comes after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex decided to step away from the Royal Family.
Hastings said the couple will focus on them "being producers" as he appeared to shoot down rumours Suits star Meghan may return in front of the camera.
He explained: "It's going to be epic entertainment. We're going to do a wide range of entertainment with them.
"I can't tell you anymore than that about it at this point, but I think it will be some of the most exciting, most viewed content next year."
The billionaire added: "The real focus for them is on being producers and on building that production capacity."
He also said that despite having no experience, the couple have developed a "great eye for stories".
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex signed the production deal with Netflix to make content that would inform and "give hope" to audiences.
As part of the deal, the couple will make documentaries, films, scripted and kids’ programmes for the platform's 193m subscribers.
Insiders have however said the commercial deal will be "scrutinised" by the Palace.
Just days after the deal was announced, the couple confirmed they had paid back the full £2.4million spent on refurbishing their home in the UK, Frogmore Cottage.
The couple are now based in the US - recently buying up a huge £8m Santa Barbara home to start their new life with son Archie.
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The couple also reportedly signed with The Harry Walker Agency - an exclusive agency that boasts it represents the best in motivational speakers - earlier this year with it thought the couple could charge $1million per speech.
The full audience list must also be provided and whether the couple need to wear “business or casual” attire.
Other commands insist details of the sponsors must be listed, asking: “If you were to lose one or more of the above sponsors, would your organisation still be able to move forward with this event?”
Harry and Meghan started to hit the speaking circuit before the coronavirus lockdown hit - with the Duke giving a speech in Miami for JP Morgan in February - reportedly earning six figures.
It also comes as Harry and Meghan have pulled the plug on a £1million fundraiser to be screened by Amazon.
The Invictus concert, featuring stars such as Beyonce and Ed Sheeran, was planned for the Hollywood Bowl next June to raise cash for wounded war heroes.
Sources claimed it had been canned because of a “conflict of interest”, but Meghan and Harry insisted it was down to Covid.
It could have raised £1million — equivalent to its annual income.
Announcing the deal, 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.
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"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."