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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced a new deal with Netflix – but one royal expert believes the announcement was very telling about their future directions

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s new Netflix deal underlines a major decision by the couple, according to a royal expert.

The Sussexes have revealed they have signed a new “multi-year, first look deal for film and television projects”. The pair’s new deal means Netflix will have the first option on their new projects.

Five years ago, Harry and Meghan secured a lucrative contract, thought to be worth more than 100 million dollars (£74 million), with Netflix after quitting as senior working royals in 2020 – but this new extension is seen as a downgrade on their previous exclusive rights deal and is believed to be worth a lot less.

As the deal was announced, Meghan was quoted as saying how she and Harry were proud to be extending their partnership with the platform. And just hours later, the trailer for Meghan’s upcoming second series of With Love, Meghan lifestyle show dropped.

And former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond says it is telling that there is “scant mention of Harry” int he announcement. She told the Mirror : “It seems clear that this deal is very much Meghan‘s project.

“It seems he may have played some part in the production of a documentary about a Ugandan orphanage, but it is Meghan who will be on screen presenting her lifestyle shows.

“I think this underlines that the couple has decided that Meghan is really the TV personality, and Harry is more comfortable continuing his charity work. And I think that’s the right balance for them.”

It comes after the couple’s controversial docuseries, Harry & Meghan, in which they were highly critical of the Royal Family, has been among the streaming platform’s most-watched documentary of all time with 23.4 million views.

However, other projects, such as Harry’s series on Polo, have failed to bring in anywhere near the same viewers.

Meghan’s latest project, her cookery and lifestyle show With Love, Meghan, released in March, failed to break into the top 300 most-watched shows on the streaming platform in the first six months of 2025 and was also panned by many critics.

And Jennie added: “As I understand it, first look deals like this are not unusual in Hollywood. Arrangements like this usually come with a certain amount of financial investment in the company. And that’s good news for Archewell.

“The fact that Harry and Meghan have got any kind of new deal with Netflix really is one in the eye to everyone who said their contract was done and dusted.

“Netflix has publicly hailed them as ‘influential voices’ -nd it’s hard to argue with that. Whatever they do and say is widely reported on both sides of the Atlantic.

“So I say well done to the two of them. They’ve shown that they still hold sway in Hollywood, and they’ve done what so many people said they couldn’t: they’ve kept their link to Netflix alive and well and – to whatever extent – lucrative.”

Great British Bake Off star Laura Adlington has shared her feelings with fans on social media after admitting to finding one aspect of her pregnancy especially difficult

The Great British Bake Off star Laura Adlington has been sharing further updates on her pregnancy on social media. The TV personality has admitted to finding the shape of her growing baby bump a bit unusual as she described how it has her feeling “really bothered.”

Laura, 36, took to Instagram to update her followers as she admitted feeling a little dismayed over the matter. She shared on the social media platform, “I’ll be honest, I’ve been struggling a little bit the last couple of months of not having the perfect bump like all the girls on Pinterest. So I have, and have always had, a B shaped belly.”

Laura then lifted up her striped maxi dress to show her followers what she was talking about as she indicated that the lower half of her stomach had become “much firmer”, but there was still a very visible “B shape” with a notably softer bit at the bottom.

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Laura continued, “I’d be lying if I said it didn’t really bother me sometimes, but I’m trying to be kind to myself and remind myself that my body is doing amazing things and it’s okay for it to look like my body while it’s doing them.

“I’m also trying to remind myself that just as all bodies are good bodies, as I’ve been bleating on about for years, all bumps are good bumps.”

She then wrote in the caption, “Being pregnant can sometimes feel great and sometimes utterly BLEURGHH, but it ALWAYS feels like a privilege. Please don’t think I’m complaining as I’m not. Just being honest about navigating my body changing and growing.”

She sent a message of support to others in the same situation as she concluded, “Hope this helps anyone in the same boat.”

Fans rushed to comment on the post and heap praise on her as they reminded her that she “looks fab” and should just enjoy her pregnant body while she has it.

One fan shared, “I didn’t think my bump was cute and did not take a single picture,” as they added, “Now that my sweet girl is here I so wish I had documented her in my belly.Take the pics – all bumps are cute bumps!”

A second commented, “I’ve never heard the term ‘B shaped’ before but that’s what I have!!” A third social media user posted, “More pronounced now due to menopause weight hitting above my waistline. Thank you for helping me give a name to my shape!”

A fourth wrote, “As a fellow B Belly, who had the very same feelings when I was pregnant, I say yes to all of this. You’re doing amazingly well and your body is rocking it!”

A fifth said, “My son (now a strapping 15 year old) is my only child and I still deeply regret not taking photos of my pregnancy because I hated my body so much. You are amazing and defying all odds to create a new human. Thank you for sharing.”