Netflix CEO Hails Meghan Markle's Cultural Impact As He Claims Duchess Is 'Underestimated'

Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos reaffirmed the value of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's partnership with his streaming company.

Sarandos noted that the Duchess of Sussex has been "underestimated" for her cultural influence, citing how she sold out shoes and other items after the release of "Harry & Meghan."

The Netflix CEO's remarks come as Meghan Markle faces backlash following the release of her new cookery show, "With Love, Meghan."

In a recent interview with Variety, Sarandos discussed the company's evolving strategy and partnership with Harry and Meghan, emphasizing their continued value to the streaming giant.

Sarandos also acknowledged the couple's broader influence, suggesting their impact extends beyond viewership metrics.

"Meghan is underestimated in terms of her influence on culture," he said. "When we dropped the trailer for the 'Harry & Meghan' doc series [in 2022], everything on-screen was dissected in the press for days. The shoes she was wearing sold out all over the world. The Hermès blanket that was on the chair behind her sold out everywhere in the world."

Reflecting on the intense public interest surrounding Meghan, Sarandos noted that "people are fascinated with Meghan Markle." He added, "She and Harry are overly dismissed."

Beyond their content collaborations, Netflix is also stepping into the e-commerce space through its involvement in Meghan's lifestyle brand, As Ever.

Launching in the U.S. this spring, the brand will offer teas, jams, and other curated products. Sarandos described Netflix's role as a "passive partner," calling it a strategic "discovery model" for the company.

Harry and Meghan signed a $100 million deal with Netflix in 2020. Since then, the couple's Archewell Productions has delivered several projects, including "Harry & Meghan," a record-breaking docuseries exploring their love story and decision to quit royal life.

More recently, Meghan's solo series "With Love, Meghan" premiered to strong engagement, landing in Netflix's global top 10.

A second season is already slated for release this fall. However, other projects like "Polo" and "Heart of Invictus" have not achieved the same level of mainstream success.

As their deal approaches its expiration this year, speculation has grown over whether Netflix will extend the partnership.

When asked about potential renewals, including Netflix's agreement with Barack and Michelle Obama, Sarandos remained tight-lipped.

"I don't want to comment on anyone's renewals," Sarandos said. "In general, the ones that we've had are bespoke and rationalized around output. I think of them as 'show-verall' deals. We outline what we're going to do together over the next five years and package it in a deal."

This comes amid reports that Meghan is struggling to cope with the intense backlash following the release of her Netflix series, "With Love, Meghan."

"Meghan was riding high, full of dreams and aspirations, but it seems like the fall was just as swift as the rise," an insider to Radar Online. "Now, though, she's feeling entirely crushed, the humiliation still fresh."

While Meghan anticipated some criticism, insiders say the scale of the backlash has been overwhelming.

Additionally, the Duchess of Sussex has become the target of death threats, with disturbing messages circulating on online forums and social media platforms.

"The comments she has received are off-the-scale," the source added. "Some people even wishing her dead for pocketing millions of dollars for such a sham show."

Since the release of the duchess's Netflix show, it has received a barrage of criticism from several media outlets and other critics, including Princess Diana's former biographer, Tina Brown.

In her Substack newsletter titled Fresh Hell, the ex-Vanity Fair editor claimed that the series proves that the former actress has an "unerring instinct for getting it wrong."

According to the journalist, Meghan has also "never figured out a convincing persona," a statement that seems to take a dig at the duchess' rumored intention for the show to be about her authentic self.

Brown further suggested that the former actress should have chosen to focus on a project detailing "what a spectacular failure the past five years have been" if she aimed for it to be successful.

While several critics have claimed Meghan came off as "inauthentic" and "forced" on her show, people who were on set with the duchess shared an entirely different opinion.

Crew members from the series described the mother of two as "friendly" and "approachable," noting that she fostered a "chill" atmosphere on set.

They also mentioned receiving personalized gifts from Meghan at the end of filming.

A crew member told People Magazine: "She gave us a pan from Our Place, a sauté-style fry pan. And a personally monogrammed spoon with her handwriting that says, 'Thank You, Crew.'"