Royal Royalties: How Much Did Harry And Meghan Actually Make From Netflix, Spotify And Their Book Deal?

By Brian Warner on March 17, 2026 in Articles › Entertainment

After stepping back from royal duties in 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle quickly signed a string of headline-grabbing deals with Netflix, Spotify, and Penguin Random House that were widely reported to be worth well over $100 million combined. At the outset, the royal couple was said to be on step one of what would ultimately become a billion-dollar media brand.

Unfortunately, as a new behind-the-scenes report from Variety makes clear, the "success" of these partnerships has been far more complicated, and the idea of a billion-dollar media brand is essentially dead in the water.

Harry's book deal was a huge success, and it's possible that a second book would also perform very well, but Netflix is reportedly walking away from the couple and their Spotify partnership ended in 2023.

So how much did Harry and Meghan make in total from their Netflix, Spotify, and Penguin Random House deals? And what did those deals actually produce?

(Jackson/Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

Netflix: ~$60 Million

The cornerstone of Harry and Meghan's post-royal business strategy was their Netflix deal, signed in September 2020. Early reports suggested the agreement could be worth as much as $100 million or more, but insiders cited in Variety say the real figure was closer to $60 million over five years.

That number was never a simple upfront payment. Like most Hollywood overall deals, it was structured around development budgets, production costs, and performance benchmarks. In other words, the full payout depended on actually delivering content.

To their credit, the couple did produce one major hit. Their six-part docuseries "Harry & Meghan" became the biggest documentary debut in Netflix history at the time, generating more than 80 million hours viewed in its first few days.

But beyond that initial success, output was inconsistent. Projects like "Heart of Invictus," "Polo," and Meghan's lifestyle series "With Love, Meghan" generated attention but failed to replicate the same level of cultural impact. Several planned projects, including the animated series "Pearl," were scrapped during development.

According to Variety's reporting, the relationship between Archewell and Netflix has cooled significantly in recent years, with the deal eventually shifting from an exclusive agreement to a more limited first-look arrangement.

Spotify: ~$15–$25 Million

In late 2020, Harry and Meghan signed a podcasting deal with Spotify, reportedly worth between $15 million and $25 million.

The deal resulted in just one major release: Meghan's podcast "Archetypes," which featured conversations about stereotypes faced by women. The show was well-reviewed and performed solidly, but it did not lead to a broader slate of content.

In 2023, Spotify and Archewell Audio parted ways after producing a single season. The split drew attention not just for its abruptness, but for unusually blunt criticism from Spotify executive Bill Simmons, who publicly called the couple "grifters."

As with Netflix, the full value of the deal was likely tied to output. With only one series produced, it's unlikely the maximum payout was ever reached.

Book Deal: ~$40 Million (With More Potential)

Prince Harry's publishing deal with Penguin Random House has arguably been the couple's most straightforward financial success.

The deal is widely reported to be worth around $40 million for Harry alone, covering multiple books. For "Spare," he is believed to have received an advance of roughly $20 million, with another $20 million or so in royalties tied to the book's massive global sales.

Those sales were historic. "Spare" became the fastest-selling nonfiction book of all time, moving more than 1.4 million copies on its first day in the U.S., U.K., and Canada.

Importantly, the publishing agreement includes additional books, meaning Harry could earn another ~$20 million if future titles are completed and perform well.

Unlike film and TV deals, book publishing offers a clearer path to actual earnings. Advances are paid upfront, and royalties scale directly with sales. In this case, "Spare" delivered on both fronts.