“Don’t Believe What You Read”: Netflix Shuts Down Harry and Meghan Fallout Claims

Netflix has stepped in to swat down yet another overcooked Variety narrative, making it clear its partnership with Prince Harry and Meghan Sussex isn’t falling apart.

Speaking at the company’s Next on Netflix presentation, chief content officer Bela Bajaria confirmed that multiple projects remain in development across television, film and documentary. Her remarks follow a wave of recent reports suggesting the streamer had begun distancing itself from the couple.

The message from Netflix was clear. The relationship continues.

Netflix chief content officer Bela Bajaria on Wednesday batted down reporting that the streamer has been distancing itself from Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. “I would say don’t believe whatever you read,” she said about a recent story in Variety reporting on Netflix’s “falling out” with the Montecito-based couple. “Maybe we should all do a little fact-checking. But here’s the thing: We still have a relationship with them, we have movies in development with them, we have an amazing doc with them, they have things in development on the TV and film side.” Bajaria added, “Deals come and go all the time and… we don’t renew so many deals and those don’t get as much press for obvious reasons, I guess. So there’s no juicy story there.”

Bela Bajaria, The Hollywood Reporter

Bajaria’s comments echoed earlier statements from Netflix, which had already described reports of a “falling out” as inaccurate.

Netflix shuts down fallout narrative as media claims unravel

Hollywood is a ruthless business. Netflix is not a charity, and it does not keep people around out of kindness, sentiment or obligation. If the company wanted to cut ties with Prince Harry and Meghan Sussex, it would do so without hesitation. Instead, its chief content officer, Bela Bajaria, publicly said: “Don’t believe whatever you read… We have movies in development with them, we have an amazing doc with them, they have things in development on the TV and film side.” That was not vague second-hand anonymous reporting. This is verifiable information coming from Netflix.

What made this episode stand out even further was not just the tone of the reporting, but the fact that the original Variety story already included on-the-record denials from both Netflix and the Sussexes’ attorney. Those statements were clear, yet they were sidelined in favour of anonymous claims that drove the headlines for many publications. It created the impression that unnamed sources were being given more weight than verifiable, attributed responses.

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Deadline’s follow-up only sharpened that contrast. In effect, it undercut the central narrative, despite operating within the same Penske media group as Variety and The Hollywood Reporter. The shift was noticeable, and, frankly, welcome. The earlier piece had leaned heavily on unattributed commentary, and it quickly gained traction online, with readers repeating its claims as fact.

That reaction speaks to a wider pattern. Stories about Prince Harry and Meghan Sussex often gather momentum before the details are fully verified, then require correction or clarification once the full picture emerges. In this case, the gap between what was claimed and what was confirmed was difficult to ignore.