Global streaming company Netflix will be working with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, through their company Archewell, on two new Netflix shows: a cooking show and a sports show.
The first of the series will be a lifestyle show that is curated by Markle. Having previously run lifestyle blog ‘The Tig’ and now launching her own lifestyle company ‘American Riveria Orchard’, it’s said the show will “celebrate the joys of cooking and gardening, entertaining and friendship”.
All we have to say about that is, look out Martha Stewart, Meghan Markle is coming for your home and hospitality crown.
Meghan will be working with director Michael Steed who is responsible for Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, and showrunner Leah Hariton who worked with Selena Gomez on Selena + Chef.
The second show will be more Harry’s bread and butter, given he has been a polo player for much of his life. With the name still yet to be announced, it’s supposed to be an insight into the world of professional polo, boasting “unprecedented access” on the “grit and passion” of the sport.
It will be produced by showrunner Miloš Balać, who is responsible for Welcome To Wrexham.
The shows do not have names or premiere dates as yet, but Netflix is expected to release further details over the next few months.
Prince Harry and Meghan’s shows through Archewell will number five upon these two new series being released. The company, which was founded in 2020, has produced the following series already:
- Heart Of Invictus: a documentary on the athletes who participate in the sporting event for wounded veterans that Prince Harry founded.
- Live To Lead: a docu-series on world leaders.
- Harry & Meghan: a controversial insight into the couple’s exit from British Royal Life.
The latter is the most successful, reaching a record for the most viewing time of any Netflix documentary in its debut week.
Their series are part of a $100 million Netflix deal, which was signed in September 2020 after the couple exited Royal life.
The couple had also signed a $20 million Spotify contract, a deal which fell apart in 2023. While the split was originally publicised as an amicable parting of ways, Spotify’s head of podcast innovation and monetization, Bill Simmons took to his podcast to chastise the couple’s work ethic.
“Let’s say I wish I had been involved in the ‘Meghan and Harry leave Spotify’ negotiation,” he said on his eponymous podcast.
He added: “‘The F*** Grifters’. That’s the podcast we should have launched them. I gotta get drunk one night and tell the story of the Zoom I had with Harry to try to help him with a podcast idea.”
Markle has since moved her podcast, Archetypes, to Lemonada Media.
In the meantime, it’s rumoured that Meghan’s brand American Riviera Orchard will launch this Autumn.
