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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle sign multi-year Netflix deal

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle — the royal couple who publicly stepped down from their official roles earlier this year — have signed a multiyear production deal with Netflix.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex struck a deal with Netflix and their yet-to-be-named production company to make documentaries, children’s programming, feature films, and more. The deal was first reported Wednesday in the New York Times.

The content will be exclusive to Netflix, according to the New York Times report, which didn’t disclose the terms of the deal with the royal couple.

The couple already has several projects in the works, including a nature docu-series and an animated series celebrating the stories of inspiring women. Though the deal may include scripted television shows as well, Meghan — who performed on the show Suits before marrying Harry — will not return to acting.

“Our lives, both independent of each other, and as a couple have allowed us to understand the power of the human spirit: of courage, resilience, and the need for connection,” Harry and Meghan said in a statement. “Through our work with diverse communities and their environments, to shining a light on people and causes around the world, our focus will be on creating content that informs but also gives hope.

Ted Sarandos, co-CEO and Chief Content Officer of Netflix, said the couple has “inspired millions of people all around the world.”

“We’re incredibly proud they have chosen Netflix as their creative home -— and are excited about telling stories with them that can help build resilience and increase understanding for audiences everywhere,” Sarandos said in a statement.

The addition of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex is the latest celebrity deal struck by Netflix as it seeks to keep churning out original and exclusive content. The streaming giant previously signed a deal with Barack and Michelle Obama in 2018.

Higher Ground Productions, the couple’s production company, has already completed work for Netflix, including American Factory, an Oscar-winning documentary that debuted last year.

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