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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle already know that their Netflix $100 million deal will not be renewed in September, but that doesn’t mean it’s the end of their working relationship with the streamer. There are a few projects that still hang in the balance, including the second season of With Love, Meghan, and the TV adaptation of the bestselling romantic novel, Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune.
Now, Page Six is taking a closer look at where the project stands in 2025, and it seems that Archewell Productions has yet other hire a director or cast.
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“By this point, you would have thought they would have got a director on board and a cast. So what is the delay?” an entertainment industry insider claimed to the media outlet. “And when you make something for Netflix, it takes a long time for it to actually hit the streamer — there is so much to do in post-production, to make sure it’s ready for every country. If the deal is up this year, then when is this film going to be made?”
Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune.
Amazon/Berkley.
There has been no update by Harry nor Meghan about the status of the project. The dynamic duo acquired the rights for $3.8 million, per The Sun, and announced the project in August 2023. It was an exciting turn of events because it signaled a move into scripted fare for their production deal.
Fortune’s book even mirrored some of Harry and Meghan’s story, which was likely why it resonated so deeply with them. Set in Toronto, Canada, the novel follows a couple who fall in love in their 30s and deal with the loss of a parent in a car crash, mental health issues, and postpartum depression.
“The themes of the book gripped the couple, and it was chosen for their first adaptation with Netflix,” a source told The Sun in 2023. Fortune’s book was also published by Penguin Random House, which was the home to Prince Harry’s successful memoir, Spare. It’s possible that the book was brought to the Sussexes’ attention because of their relationship with the publisher.
The end of Harry and Meghan’s production deal probably won’t be the end of their relationship with Netflix, though, so there’s a possibility the film adaptation will see the light of day. People noted that Barack and Michelle Obama’s deal met a similar fate, but they now have a standard Hollywood first-look agreement. The termination of the agreement is more about the entertainment industry downsizing its bloated contracts; it’s not really a Sussex deal.
But let’s hope Harry and Meghan’s TV adaptation of Meet Me at the Lake sees the light of day because lots of fans were looking forward to their interpretation of the bestselling novel.
Before you go, click here to see more of Meghan Markle & Prince Harry’s milestones since leaving the royal family.
