Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s ‘ticking time bomb’ over Netflix deal

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are under huge pressure due to the failure of their Hollywood dreams, a royal expert has claimed.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry face a “ticking time bomb” due to the failure of their Hollywood dreams, a royal expert has claimed.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have just a year left before their much-hyped $148 million Netflix deal, which they signed with the streaming giant to produce documentaries, docuseries, feature films, scripted shows and children’s programming.

The California-based pair are believed to have been paid only half of their reported fee and will only get the rest of the money if they produce more content before the end of 2025, The Sun reports.

Meghan Markle arrives for Variety’s Power of Women event last November. Picture: AFP

In a further blow, the couple were roasted at the Golden Globes by comedian and host Jo Koy for “being paid millions by Netflix for doing nothing”.

Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told The Sun the couple could lose everything if they don’t knuckle down and get producing before their contract ends.

He told The Sun: “You know that your influence is failing is when people start laughing at you, and you can’t produce something that you’ve actually done.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are facing a ticking time bomb, a royal expert says. Picture: Getty Images

All eyes will be on the royal couple’s next move. Picture: Getty Images

“The facts of the matter are that he pointed out pretty categorically that they have done absolutely nothing for Netflix, really, and the one exception, of course, being Invictus, and that was very worth it but too long of a wait.

“If you simply trash your family, which is the only time it does seem to mean that you get megabucks, and do nothing else, then you must expect people not to take you seriously.”

Mr Fitzwilliams said the royals now face a “ticking time bomb”.

He said: “It’s important also to remember the Netflix contract goes on to 2025. Netflix is no longer producing The Crown, and from that point of view it may well be, if the Sussexes, don’t produce what they want.

“If they lost that, they really would be losers in every sense.

“When the Hollywood reporter recently called the Sussexes losers, I think it was speaking through what most people who are interested in them appear now to believe - that if they haven’t done anything they all losers.

“We still await whether or not they can adapt a rom-com, or whether or not they’ll produce something serious, or whether or not Megan’s agency, which she joined in April, I mean, nothing has happened.

“So if this remains the case interest in them obviously will wane.

“This is light years away from when they were on Time’s list of the world’s 100 top individuals.

“It doesn’t seem that way at all at the moment. In fact, it’s going quite the reverse way.”

Originally published as Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s ‘ticking time bomb’ over Netflix deal