Sign in Composite: Alex Mellon for the Guardian : Getty Images/EPAView image in fullscreen Composite: Alex Mellon for the Guardian : Getty Images/EPAIs this the end of Harry and Meghan’s American dream?The Sussexes are returning to the UK with significantly reduced media deals in an industry where fame alone can no longer guarantee success
Having settled in California in the aftermath of their dramatic decoupling from the royal family in 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced a partnership that appeared to set a clear destination for their new lives outside the House of Windsor.
With every global media stable clamouring for their signature, the couple revealed a deal with Netflix reportedly worth $100m. The ambitions were lofty and broad, including scripted and unscripted projects, shows for all ages and documentaries.
A $20m podcast deal with Spotify appeared to confirm their ambitions; the Sussexes were reinventing themselves in the competitive world of content creation, a media powerhouse in the booming universe of streaming and podcasting.
As the couple now prepare to return to the UK, they do so with those mega-deals either pared back or expired, and their media plans less clear. It raises the question: is this the end of their American dream?
