This week, streaming service Netflix canceled the development of Meghan Markle’s animated series “Pearl” following a substantial drop in subscribers.
BBC reported that the project was announced last year. It was scrapped along with several other shows after Netflix revealed its “total number of subscribers had dropped by 200,000 in the first three months of this year, falling well short of its target.”
Markle’s show was going to be about a young girl who is inspired by women in history.
Archewell Productions, the company formed by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, announced last year that Meghan would be an executive producer of Pearl.
The series was planned to centre on the adventures of a 12-year-old girl, who is inspired by influential women from history.
Netflix did, however, confirm that it will continue to work on a number of projects with Archewell Productions, including a documentary series called Heart of Invictus.
The series will focus on athletes competing in the Invictus Games for injured veterans, an event founded by Prince Harry, in The Hague in 2022.
Reportedly, about two million more Netflix users are expected to quit their subscriptions in the three months into July.
Some analysts warned that, after a period of very strong expansion during the pandemic, the company had run out of easy ways to grow the business.
Squeezed consumers are cutting back on streaming services to save money, while some feel there is too much content to choose from amid an avalanche of competition from rivals such as Disney and Amazon.
Last week, President Donald Trump told Piers Morgan in an interview that Queen Elizabeth II should strip Prince Harry and Markle’s royal titles and said that he’s never been a fan of Markle.
“I’m not a fan of Meghan. I’m not a fan. And I wasn’t right from the beginning,” Trump told Morgan. “I think poor Harry is being led around by his nose.”
“If you were the Queen, is it of the stage now, would you remove their royal titles?” Morgan asked later in the interview.
“I would,” Trump said. “The only thing I disagree with the Queen on, probably one of the only things ever, is that I think she should have said ‘if that’s your choice, fine, but you no longer have titles. You no longer have – and frankly, don’t come around,’” Trump said. He added that Harry has been “disrespectful” and an “embarrassment” to the country.