Harry and Meghan See Their California Dreams, and Riches, Fade Away

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Like so many others before them, Prince Harry and Meghan arrived in Hollywood with big plans. They are leaving with their star power fading.

This screenshot has been taken from this NYT article. | The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are returning to Britain after spending six years in California chasing their Hollywood dreams. Credit: Dylan Martinez/Reuters
It began with such high hopes.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex landed in Hollywood in 2020, flush with a multimillion-dollar Netflix deal and a promise that the duo, scorned by the royal family, would make a slew of inspirational programming.

Two years later, “Harry & Meghan” the Netflix six-part docuseries on the couple’s departure from Britain, generated 23.4 million views in its initial release, immediately topping the company’s charts as the most watched ever for the first four days of a documentary. In total, the program has garnered 70 million views since its debut.

Nothing else Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, ever made for the service — whether it was “Live to Lead,” a seven-episode interview show with world leaders, or “Polo,” a docuseries about the sport — reached such heights.

In 2025, the Netflix deal was not renewed. A similarly lofty agreement at Spotify also fell short of expectations. » | Nicole Sperling and Shawn Hubler | Reporting from Los Angeles | Saturday, August 22, 2026