Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Risk 'Audience Fatigue'

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle should be more transparent about their future Hollywood projects and when they can be expected to be delivered if they want to avoid "audience fatigue," an entertainment expert has told Newsweek.

It was revealed this month that as part of the couple's multi-million-dollar content creation deal with Netflix, signed in 2020 after they split from the monarchy, there are multiple projects being worked on by the Sussexes. However, only one has been announced and most are in the "early development" stages, meaning fans could be waiting some time before they hit screens.

Netflix's chief content officer, Bela Bajaria, said at a recent industry event (via the Daily Telegraph) that Harry and Meghan are working on "a bunch of development" projects, with "a movie in development, a (scripted) series that they're working on. So all very early development, with a movie, a TV show and a couple of unscripted shows."

However, with four years having passed since the couple signed their contract and just three docuseries released as a result, commentators have suggested that audiences may require some encouragement to stick out a further wait for content, particularly as Harry and Meghan have previously been restrictive with information released about projects ahead of time.

"With little certainty beyond several statements, my media expertise for Harry and Meghan would be to step up a gear and start making key decisions to avoid audience fatigue," Mark Boardman, entertainment expert and founder of MarkMeets, told Newsweek of the Sussexes' production plans, suggesting they now need to balance the demands of creating quick and quality content to encourage industry buzz and maintain their fanbase.

"Any last-minute work from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex may not likely meet the high standard that studio bosses expect. Unnecessary delays will just cost more production time and expenses and could potentially jeopardize any chance of extending the mega-deal with the streaming giant," he said.

"While both scripted and unscripted formats for the Sussexes offer the potential for diverse and engaging content, especially for Meghan—who has an acting career to sustain—the future success of the couple's collaboration with Netflix will likely depend on balancing quality control with timely delivery. Now the slate is theirs to create content that resonates with their audience."

In November 2023, Meghan gave fans a brief insight into her plans with Archewell Productions, saying: "We have so many exciting things on the slate. I can't wait until we can announce them but I'm just really proud of what we're creating and my husband is loving it too."

Though, understandably, projects cannot be prematurely announced due to the fluid nature of the entertainment industry with factors likely to change before release, Boardman suggests that being more transparent with their plans could help the Sussexes generally with eager fans and the media.

"Greater transparency about project timelines and clearer communication from the couple could manage expectations and maintain fan engagement," he concluded. "Finally, this could give them the media routine they need to keep their dreams of living in America alive."

Newsweek approached Archewell representatives via email for comment.

James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.

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