Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Netflix dream in tatters: 'Just a press release'

The couple made the landmark decision last year to leave their royal life behind and set up home across to the pond in a bid to live a "financially independent life" away from the monarchy. Since then they have spent a fortune on a host of new luxuries, such as a mansion in Montecito, an exclusive beachside neighbourhood around two hours drive north of Los Angeles. While they have managed to secure a string of lucrative deals with platforms such as Netflix and Spotify, Harry spoke out in March to Oprah Winfrey about how he was financially cut off from his family.

This prompted a response from Prince Charles' spokesperson, who said, when the Clarence House financial accounts for the year were released in June, that the Sussexes received a "substantial sum" on their exit and that they were funded up to the summer of 2020.

But commentators are questioning how happy bosses at the Netflix and Spotify could be after only a handful of content plans had been confirmed.

These include Daniela Elser - who ripped apart the deal in a scathing piece for news.au.com.

She wrote in June: "While on one hand TV and feature-length projects take years to get to the screen, on the other, what has Netflix really gotten so far for their estimated $133million investment in the Duke and Duchess?

"Sure, their signing was a huge publicity coup but so far all the streaming giant has gotten for their nine-figure financial commitment is essentially the world’s most expensive press release.

"Harry and Meghan have a lot to prove, and fast, because they are fighting against the clock here."

The two Netflix projects include one by Meghan, who will be producing an animated series called Pearl.

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Meanwhile, Harry's contribution will include a documentary on the Invictus Games - the sports competition for wounded ex-servicemen and women.

But as the deal was signed nearly a year ago, Ms Elser argued that Netflix could be expecting a bit more from their more than £100million investment in the couple.

She added: “When the Sussexes do start unveiling their slate of TV and podcasting projects they will get one shot; that is, one chance to impress audiences and make their mark either in terms of steaming figures or critical plaudits.

“When the novelty and the lustre of working with members of the Royal Family wears off, if they don’t have streaming counts or a clutch of awards to show for themselves, then will their contracts be renewed?”

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“Essentially, they will have a brief window to prove they are worth the hundreds of millions that corporate behemoths have bet on them. No pressure now or anything.”

“The fact is, even billion-dollar companies can’t afford to keep ploughing truckloads of cash into two very, very famous contractors if they do not prove to be a sound investment.”

Similar scrutiny was placed on the couple's Spotify deal by Eric Schiffer, chairman of Reputation Management Consultants.

He told Newsweek last year that the deal would be "based upon performance kickers", but admitted that while the contract was "great for them" it was "terrible" for the monarchy "because they are choosing to sell it at fire sale prices".

He concluded: "I think they are systematically benefiting from the halo of the monarchy.

"If Harry wasn't involved no one would care about this, if she didn't have the royal ties.

"There's this reckless war on this pristine historical brand that has represented the people of England for centuries."