Prince Harry, Meghan Markle to turn best-selling novel into film
After Spotify dropped their Archetypes podcast in June, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have now decided to embark on a new venture with Netflix. Reportedly, the British royal couple has acquired the rights to turn into a film a best-seller novel that resonates closely with their own lives. It will mark their departure from previous on-camera work to an off-camera-only venture with the streamer.
Which book's rights has royal couple acquired
The book that has caught the attention of the royal couple is Meet Me At The Lake—penned by former journalist-author Carley Fortune. Released in May, the novel is said to revolve around a couple who cross paths in their 30s and deals with themes like childhood trauma, mental health, and post-natal depression, with striking parallels to the real-life relationship of Markle and Prince Harry.
Novel-turned-fiction drama under £80M Netflix deal: Reports
Securing the rights to Fortune's book marks a significant milestone for the couple's Archwell Productions, as it is the first time they have paid for the adaptation of a novel under their reported £80M Netflix deal, reported The Sun. Earlier, it was reported that the couple would cease producing "royal-critical content" for the streaming service—citing that they felt there was "nothing left to say."
How couple landed this deal
The Sun reported that PR agent Mark Borkowski raised questions about the decision of publishers—Penguin Random House—to sell the book's rights to the couple, noting that typically, a best-selling novel wouldn't be handed over to them. Interestingly, Penguin had previously published Harry's book Spare, and there is speculation that Markle may have a "personal connection" to the Toronto-based author that could've influenced their deal.
Markle, Harry, Netflix deal: Everything to know
Markle-Harry's Netflix agreement was signed merely six months after the couple stepped back from their royal duties to start a new life in 2020. Since then, they have been actively involved in multiple projects. Harry has also been working on the Heart of Invictus documentary. Notably, their Netflix docu-series Harry & Meghan became a major success, breaking viewing records with its candid insights.
