The “family series”, announced in fanfare last summer, with Meghan as creator and executive producer, was to focus on the adventures of a 12-year-old girl inspired by historically important female figures. It will be the first animated production under the name Arganwell by Megan and her husband Prince Harry, created in 2020 as a vehicle for their new career in the US, after their separation from the British royal family. Netflix, which once dominated streaming platforms but now struggles with falling subscriber numbers and falling stock values, has abandoned the project amid a wave of cuts, according to Deadline. Referring to the flattering decision as a “royal flush”, the entertainment industry website said that the project that Meghan was co-producing with David Furnish, who is married to Elton John, was dropped in the development phase. “The word in the city is that even before the recent events, Netflix was telling producers to take some development projects elsewhere,” the report said. “Clearly, Netflix’s excessive cost of content is being re-evaluated. “It is absurd to expect its executives to manage so many projects and many of them to be memorable.” Netflix did not immediately comment. There was also no immediate reaction from Archewell, leaving it unclear whether the company would continue production at Pearl or attempt to relocate. Other Archewell works with Netflix, including the Heart of Invictus documentary series about the Harry Invictus Olympics for disabled former members of the service, are not thought to be affected. The former members of the royal family, who live in Montecito, California, signed a multi-year contract with Netflix in September last year. Netflix has released two non-Archewell animated series, Dino Daycare and Boons and Curses, according to the Hollywood Reporter. In a commercial for Pearl’s announcement last summer, Meghan said she was excited. “Like many girls her age, our heroine Pearl is on a journey of self-discovery as she tries to overcome the daily challenges of life,” she said. “I’m excited that Archewell Productions, in partnership with the powerful Netflix platform and these incredible producers, will bring you this new animated series that celebrates the great women throughout history. “David Furnish and I were looking forward to bringing this special series to light.”
