Netflix’s October 2025 announcement of a multiyear “first-look” partnership renewal with Archewell Productions marks a significant shift in the streamer’s relationship with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. However, the new arrangement represents a substantial reduction from the couple’s original 2020 Netflix deal, which was reported to be worth approximately $100 million.
The original 2020 exclusive contract granted Netflix full rights to all of Archewell Productions’ film and television content. Under the newly extended partnership announced in August 2025, Netflix receives first refusal on projects—but Harry and Meghan retain the option to shop content elsewhere if Netflix declines to pick it up. This fundamental shift underscores the changing dynamics between the streaming giant and the production company, particularly as viewership for their major projects has underperformed marketplace expectations.
Significant Subscriber Backlash Emerges
The November reveal of the holiday special “With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration,” set to premiere December 3, 2025, quickly became a flashpoint for subscriber discontent across social media platforms. The announcement ignited visible resistance from Netflix’s subscriber base, with numerous users publicly announcing intentions to cancel their subscriptions.
On X (formerly Twitter), subscriber reactions included explicit cancellation statements: “Cancelled my subscription,” “Thanks for the warning. I’ll be sure to cancel my subscription beforehand,” “I cancelled, 100% because of this nonsense,” and “Boycott!!” These responses reflect broader frustration with Netflix’s continued investment in Meghan Markle-related content, despite consistent underperformance of previous productions.
While Netflix has not released official data quantifying actual subscription cancellations, the social media response suggests meaningful subscriber dissatisfaction. Simultaneously, a vocal contingent of supporters expressed enthusiasm, with posts like “I can’t wait. This is going to be the must-see for our holiday celebrations.” The holiday special announcement thus illustrates the deeply polarized subscriber base responding to celebrity-focused content decisions.
Critics Characterize Content as ‘Tone Deaf’
Beyond subscription cancellation threats, critics have characterized the holiday special and accompanying Meghan Markle branding initiatives as disconnected from broader cultural and economic contexts—frequently invoking the term “tone deaf” to describe her content choices.
When Markle launched her “As Ever” holiday collection in October 2025 featuring a $89 sparkling wine and beige-themed merchandise, critics questioned the timing and positioning. One Reddit commenter wrote: “If there ever were a year when people are not going to feel like celebrating with sparkling wine, this is it. Economic uncertainty, Amazon and federal workers laid off, natural disasters, etc. She can post ‘festive’ videos on Instagram all she wants. It’s the wrong time and the wrong product.”
Social media commentary on the holiday special announcement included similar critiques: “disconnected from reality and out of touch with everyday concerns,” with multiple sources describing the initiative as “tone deaf.” Critics pointed to perceived contradictions in Markle’s messaging—particularly regarding her previous statements about wearing muted colors to “blend in” as a royal, despite now embracing beige-centric aesthetics and luxury lifestyle content.
Furthermore, commentary questioned the appropriateness of promoting luxury holiday entertainment amid economic uncertainty, with one critic writing: “Why would anyone look to this woman for an example of traditions, family, or togetherness?” These characterizations reflect subscriber sentiment that the content appears insensitive to broader economic conditions and audience concerns.
Track Record of Underperformance
The subscriber backlash must be contextualized within the historical performance of Archewell Productions’ Netflix offerings. The original “With Love, Meghan” series, which debuted in March 2025, ranked #383 on Netflix’s viewership rankings with 5.3 million views during its first season—positioning it below the platform’s top 300 most-watched shows. The series notably failed to achieve the cultural impact or audience scale of other flagship Netflix programs.
Season two, released in August 2025, similarly received critical commentary regarding underperformance. Netflix characterized the series as its “most-watched culinary show” since its launch—a designation that reflects competition primarily within the culinary category rather than across Netflix’s broader programming slate, suggesting modest viewership relative to other Netflix originals.
By contrast, the couple’s documentary series “Harry & Meghan,” released earlier on Netflix, demonstrated significantly stronger audience engagement with 23.4 million views, illustrating the variance in subscriber interest across their project portfolio.
The Broader Strategic Context
Netflix’s continued investment in Meghan Markle content despite underperformance reflects the streamer’s broader strategy of leveraging high-profile celebrity partnerships to maintain subscriber engagement and generate media coverage. During the lucrative December 2025 holiday season, Netflix’s strategy balances celebrity-driven projects with major releases including “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery,” “Stranger Things” season 5 finale, and other tentpole programming.
The December 2025 competitive landscape represents one of the most crowded holiday seasons in streaming history, with platforms competing aggressively for family and lifestyle viewers. Netflix’s global subscriber base exceeds 283 million users, yet the company discontinued quarterly subscriber reporting in early 2025, limiting public visibility into viewership impact. Netflix’s Q3 2025 financials nonetheless showed a 17% revenue increase, demonstrating continued financial growth despite individual programming underperformance.
The Partnership’s Trajectory
Archewell Productions, co-founded by Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, has produced multiple Netflix releases since the couple’s 2020 partnership announcement. Beyond “With Love, Meghan,” the production company is developing projects including the film adaptation “Meet Me at the Lake” and the documentary short “Masaka Kids, a Rhythm Within,” scheduled for late 2025.
The August 2025 renewal of the Netflix partnership, positioned by Archewell as an extension of their working relationship, represents a significant renegotiation from the original $100 million exclusive deal. The new arrangement grants both parties greater flexibility—Netflix gains first-look access but reduced exclusivity, while Archewell retains rights to pursue alternative distribution for rejected projects.
Markle notably stated: “We’re proud to extend our partnership with Netflix and expand our work together to include the As Ever brand. My husband and I feel inspired by our partners who work closely with us and our Archewell Productions team to create thoughtful content across genres that resonates globally, and celebrates our shared vision.”
What Subscribers Should Expect
“With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration” will premiere December 3, 2025, featuring segments on gift wrapping, holiday feasts, table settings, and appearances by celebrity guests. The special draws on Markle’s personal background teaching calligraphy and gift-wrapping at Paper Source Beverly Hills between acting auditions—experience she has referenced as the basis for the series’ lifestyle instructional approach.
The special was filmed in Montecito, California, where Markle and Prince Harry reside in a nine-bedroom estate purchased in 2020 for approximately $14.7 million. Real estate valuations indicate the property has appreciated significantly, with current estimates ranging from $29 to $30 million, reflecting Montecito’s status as an increasingly exclusive celebrity enclave.
As the holiday special approaches its December premiere, subscriber engagement metrics will provide a real-time test of whether subscriber frustration translates into measurable audience decline or whether the vocal online criticism represents a minority position among Netflix’s broader 283+ million subscriber base. The initiative’s performance will significantly influence Netflix’s future content strategy regarding high-profile celebrity partnerships and Archewell Productions’ continued viability as a Netflix collaborator.