The Duchess of Sussex has parted ways with Netflix after the streaming giant financially backed her lifestyle brand – so what lies in store for the business now?
17:09, 19 Mar 2026Updated 18:33, 19 Mar 2026
The spotlight is being shone on Meghan and the details of her partnership with Netflix(Image: Netflix)
The Duchess of Sussex is at a real crossroads.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are said to be reeling as shock allegations have emerged about their so-called split with Netflix.
After speaking to industry sources and those who have worked with the couple, showbiz bible Variety claimed in a scathing report that the relationship between both parties is “done”. According to the outlet, certain decisions from the couple – including their bombshell Oprah interview – left bosses “blindsided”. The Sussexes have strongly denied the claims.
When their five-year deal came to an end last summer, it was announced that the Sussexes’ contract was being downgraded to a less lucrative “first look deal” that gave Netflix first refusal on any new projects. Then, just this month, it was announced that Netflix was parting ways with Meghan’s lifestyle brand As Ever, making it fully independent, having previously been supported financially by the streaming giant.
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Meghan’s As Ever brand put her jam centre-stage
It has led to questions on whether As Ever can survive without the might of the streaming giant backing it, and whether Meghan can take her brand global amid scepticism over sales.
There was great excitement amongst fans when Meghan’s brand opened for business in April 2025. Initially, jam took centre stage, along with flower sprinkles and cookie mixtures. Then came wine, candles, bookmarks, and tea.
Supported by Netflix, As Ever was directly linked to the Duchess’s lifestyle show With Love, Meghan. It was hoped that As Ever stock would prove a hit with viewers. But there were conflicting reports on the success of the brand, and on 6 March it was announced that Netflix and As Ever were ending their partnership.
Stock was allegedly an area of concern for the streamer, with Variety claiming that last August, Netflix was “sitting on a surplus of As Ever products, including tea and baking mixes, totaling more than $10 million in value”.
The magazine also alleges that the company started “giving inventory to employees for free, putting the goods on card tables in various office buildings”. In response, an Archewell spokesperson said that giveaways from sample closests are standard practice at studios.
It was hoped that With Love, Meghan would help drive up As Ever sales(Image: meghan/Instagram)
Just last month, Page Six also reported that Netflix’s Hollywood offices were overrun with unsold jam jars. The publication claimed that there are “two storage rooms” worth of stock, including candles, wine and flower sprinkles. “They’re literally just giving it away to employees – one (staffer) walked out with 10 products for free,” one source claimed, alleging: “There’s so much overstock.”
But other sources claimed unsold As Ever stock was moved from Netflix’s LA office to another warehouse ‘long ago’. “Any remaining stock is being used for ‘gifting, sampling, and promotional use,” they said.
It echoes concerns raised about Meghan’s lifestyle brand back in January. Internet sleuths say they were able to access stock figures after attempting to add an abnormally large number of items to their online shopping basket, which prompted the website to reveal the maximum stock it had available.
The stock, allegedly seen in screenshots of the website which were then posted to Reddit, appeared to show more than 220,000 jars of spread, 30,000 jars of honey, 30,000 mulling kits, almost 90,000 candles, over 110,000 jars of tea, and 80,000 jars of edible flower sprinkles.
It seemed to suggest that Meghan’s stock wasn’t selling as well as once thought. But People magazine downplayed the speculation, quoting a “source with inside knowledge” of As Ever who said the glitch “points to a business that isn’t just successful – it’s flying, literally off the shelf”.
Ted Sarandos with his wife, Nicole Avant(Image: David Fisher/Shutterstock)
For their part, Netflix suggested in a recent statement that they always intended to part ways with As Ever, saying: “Meghan’s passion for elevating everyday moments in beautiful yet simple ways inspired the creation of the As Ever brand, and we are glad to have played a role in bringing that vision to life.
“As it was always intended, Meghan will continue growing the brand and take it into its next chapter independently, and we look forward to celebrating how she continues to bring joy to households around the world.”
An As Ever spokesperson, meanwhile, said: “As Ever is grateful for Netflix’s partnership through launch and our first year. We have experienced meaningful and rapid growth and As Ever is now ready to stand on its own. We have an exciting year ahead and can’t wait to share more.”
But are things really that harmonious? The Daily Mail’s Alison Boshoff claims that Netflix boss Ted Sarandos has unfollowed both Meghan and As ever on Instagram. Reportedly, so, too, has his creative chief Bela Bajaria. (The Mirror cannot confirm whether they did previously follow the accounts).
Sources at Netflix reportedly told Variety that Sarandos and his wife, Nicole Avant, socialised frequently with Meghan and Harry, who are also their neighbours in the Montecito. And both Sarandos and Bajaria have been extremely positive about Meghan in the past.
Meghan had differing ideas from Netflix when it came to the future of As Ever(Image: Netflix)
But it’s thought that differing business approach caused issues. Variety further claimed that Sarandos and the Netflix team had been ‘blindsided’ by both the Sussexes’ Oprah interview and Harry’s book Spare, given that they had signed a multi-million dollar deal with Netflix soon after quitting royal life. A spokesperson for Meghan and Harry called this ‘categorically untrue’.
Netflix is said to have had a vision for As Ever, which would have started with wine, and gone on through five phases – including the introduction of china and glassware, then food, followed by an expansion into physical retail spaces, and finally a cookbook, according to the Mail.
The newspaper claims that Netflix simply wasn’t able to interest Meghan in their plan. “Her enthusiasm for business was genuine enough – she and Harry are well aware they need to make money – but she didn’t care to take the advice offered by the Netflix head of consumer products, Josh Simon,” it alleges.
“After he left Netflix last year, to take a new role elsewhere, the writing was on the wall. Meghan, it seems, was never going to write a cookbook and she didn’t want to lend her name to napkins and teacups, even though that does great business for Netflix hit Bridgerton via the London store Liberty.”
A source, meanwhile, claimed that sales had become an issue. “The product was not taken up in the way that people had hoped. The jam thing became totemic. There was just all this jam. We had thought there would be more to it,” the source alleged.
Meghan launched As Ever in April 2025
“The failure was more to do with the product and the business model, which didn’t work, than a people thing about Meghan being difficult. Although I hear there was an element of both.”
But another source has suggested that Meghan felt ‘held back’ by Netflix’s strategy for As Ever. “Meghan is still on good terms with the Netflix team and close personal friends with Ted (Sarandos) so hasn’t wanted to upset him, but is very happy to have full control of the company,” they said. “It’s a good time for Meghan to have complete control, given recent successes. Netflix have been a good partner, but she’s wanted to go global with the brand for some time, but has been held back by the more cautious Netflix team.”
The Mirror spoke to PR expert Mayah Riaz about the apparent idea clash, and she conceded that Netflix’s plan “sounds far more commercially robust”. She told us: “They follow a truly tried and tested blueprint which is, start with an accessible hero product, build aspiration, then scale into lifestyle. We’ve seen that model work time and time again, from Goop to Bridgerton. It creates a clear narrative for consumers and, importantly, multiple revenue streams.”
The PR to the stars continued: “Meghan’s instinct to take control isn’t surprising. Many high profile personalities want to protect the integrity of their personal brand. The challenge with that can be that their instinct sometimes clashes with what actually sells. There’s a difference between building a brand that feels authentic and building one that is commercially viable at scale.
A report has claimed that Netflix staff were helping themselves to jam for free(Image: Adam Gerrard / Daily Mirror)
“The key issue here seems to be cohesion. Netflix had a structured, phased vision. Meghan appears to have wanted something more selective and personal. That can work, but only if the product offering is strong enough to stand on its own. If the range lacks depth or clarity, then sadly audiences disengage very quickly. When ‘the jam became the story’, that is never a good sign at a time when you’re trying to build a lifestyle empire.”
Mayah added: “In terms of whether Netflix’s plan would have worked better, I’d say it had a higher probability of success simply because it leaned into proven consumer behaviour. People buy into a world, not just a product. Teacups, cookbooks, wine, these aren’t random items, they’re entry points into a lifestyle fantasy. Without that ecosystem, it becomes much harder to scale.
“As for Meghan not taking advice, I’m not surprised and it’s actually more common than people think. Celebrities often reach a level where they trust their own vision over external expertise. Sometimes that pays off and creates something truly distinctive. Other times, it can limit growth. I find that the smartest talent usually find a balance. They stay true to their voice but listen closely to the people who understand the market.
Meghan took to Instagram this week to promote a new £200 gift box – with daughter Lilibet (Image: meghan/instagram)
“Ultimately, I think this feels like a classic case of vision versus execution. Meghan had the cultural cachet, Netflix had the commercial machine. When those two aren’t aligned, even the most high profile projects can struggle to land.”
Meghan, meanwhile, seems unperturbed by the fall-out. In the wake of the Variety article, she took to Instagram to promote another new product – a £200 gift box containing flowers, tea and honey. Her daughter Lilibet also appeared in the promotion.
For the time being, at least, it seems Meghan is forging ahead with her brand. A source said of her split from Netflix: “She couldn’t do anything, make a decision or move forward without running everything through them and then waiting endlessly for the outcome of meetings. That’s just not her style; she wants to move forward.”
Interestingly, the source further claimed that Meghan wanted to launch As Ever in Australia, telling the Telegraph: “We are thinking about the next step in global expansion and Australia has been teed up as the first test market outside the US. It’s the first place we are looking at and having conversations. They have to earn a living. They are private citizens and have to pay the bills like anyone else.”
A Sussexes’ spokesman said in response: “This is speculation. No decisions have been made about when or where international expansion might take place. Entering new markets is a considered process, but it’s something the brand is excited to explore as it continues to grow in this next phase. Watch this space.”
But, as royal watchers have been quick to point out, Harry and Meghan are heading Down Under just next month to take part in “private, business and philanthropic engagements”. It marks their first trip to Australia since October 2018.
Meghan is set to appear at a girls-only retreat in Australia(Image: herbestlifepod/Instagram)
One such engagement for Meghan is an appearance at a £1,400 per person ‘girls’ weekend’ in Australia. The event, led by Her Best Life podcast founder Gemma O’Neill, is being held in Sydney from April 17 to April 19. Meghan and Gemma will discuss, “life, parenting, relationships, building a global business and navigating a public persona”.
Invitees are promised time for discussions, wellness sessions, and social gatherings designed to bring women together for what the organisers describe as “powerful conversations, relaxation, laughter, and unforgettable experiences”.
It has led to questions as to whether this is a philanthropic tour – or commercial. Meghan has long been accused of cashing in on her royal status, something the late Queen expressly forbade when the Sussexes’ requested a half-in-half-out royal deal.
Tickets for the event start at an eye-watering £1,439, which covers accommodation at a beach-side Sydney hotel and access to three days of events, including a gala dinner, yoga and meditation sessions, and a disco celebration.
But those wanting to get even closer to Meghan can purchase the VIP experience tickets, which are being sold for £1,705 per person. This ticket also includes guaranteed seating at a table in front two rows for the gala dinner with Meghan, as well as a group table photo with the Duchess.
She has come under fire for agreeing to appear at the high-ticket event(Image: herbestlife.org)
“Well, this is where perception becomes a problem,” PR expert Mayah told the Mirror. “At a time when they’re facing criticism around relatability and authenticity, attaching her name to a high-ticket, exclusive event feels totally tone deaf. It plays into the narrative that they are out of touch. It risks undermining any message about wanting to connect with everyday people.
“The optics really matter, and this one is tricky. It sends the message that access to Meghan is a luxury product, which really doesn’t sit comfortably with the brand they’ve been trying to build.”
There have long been questions over Harry and Meghan’s future, having made huge amounts of money following their exit from royal life with various TV shows, interviews and a memoir.
Harry and Meghan on their Netflix docuseries, their most lucrative venture with the streamer(Image: Netflix)
But they do still have their watered-down Netflix deal to fall back on. Following the publication of the Variety article, Netflix chief content officer Bela Bajaria publicly denied the claims of a dispute, briefly addressing the speculation at the Next on Netflix event on Wednesday.
Bajaria reiterated that Netflix still has a partnership with the couple, saying: “We still have a relationship with them. We have movies in development with them. We have an amazing doc with them.
“They have things in development on the TV and film side. Deals come and go all the time, and we don’t renew so many deals, those just don’t get as much press for obvious reasons. There’s no juicy story there.”
Notably, Harry and Meghan’s biggest commercial successes seem to have all come off the back of their fall-out with the royal family. One source told Variety: “The Sussexes’ perceived pattern of selling repackaged versions of the same story about their exit from royal life has exhausted Netflix.”
The lucrative collaboration began in September 2020 – nine months after Harry and Meghan quit royal life. The couple signed a five-year deal with Netflix in September 2020 in a bid to achieve financial independence in their post-royal lives.
Their six-part docuseries Harry & Meghan became a major hit for the platform – but follow-up projects failed to resonate with viewers, including Heart of Invictus, and Polo.
Then, in March 2025, came the first season of With Love, Meghan. It was widely panned and the second season and a holiday special failed to make the top 1,000 shows on Netflix in 2025. It has since been confirmed it will not be returning for a third series.