NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Lifestyle

Harry and Meghan's Netflix deal comes after years of being 'held back by tradition'

NZ Herald
7 Sep, 2020 02:27 AM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Harry and Meghan's Netflix deal is a sign they're finally being allowed to flourish, according to a royal biographer. Photo / AP

Harry and Meghan's Netflix deal is a sign they're finally being allowed to flourish, according to a royal biographer. Photo / AP

Harry and Meghan are finally operating the way they've always wanted after years of being "held back by tradition and hierarchy" in the royal family, a royal biographer has claimed.

Last week, the couple signed a multimillion-dollar deal with Netflix. Speaking on his podcast Heirpod, royal biographer Omid Scobie said it shows the couple have been "thriving" since stepping back as working members of the royal family, writes the Daily Mail.

"It shows how much they were held back by tradition, hierarchy and stubbornness within the institution," he said.

He went on to say that the Duke and Duchess are now "absolutely happy".

"This is the couple operating in a way they were desperate to for some time but couldn't for a number of reasons, many of which tie into what is considered too politically sensitive or not."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The Finding Freedom author continued by saying, "If The Firm is so experienced in working with powerful world leaders, why couldn't they handle working with Meghan?

"There is no more pragmatic a family than the royal family and I think they are capable of having positive and healthy relationships with anyone.

"As we've seen, this wasn't necessarily about the relationships between the royal family members and Meghan, it was about the institution of monarchy and how they supported Meghan.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Had Meghan come in and done everything by the book, rather than ever come up with her own ideas, or challenge a way of working, or bring in her own ideals, then it may have been very different. But that is not what we can realistically expect from a human being."

He went on to say that Harry loved Meghan's "dynamism".

"It's what made her so exciting to be a teammate with. It was that, and the things that we often celebrate about Meghan internally just didn't fit in with the way things were done in the institution.

The work the Sussexes are doing now reveals they are happier in the US, according to Omid Scobie. Photo / AP
The work the Sussexes are doing now reveals they are happier in the US, according to Omid Scobie. Photo / AP

"Rather than anyone trying to accommodate those differences, it was quickly seen as something very problematic and something many tried to extinguish through leaking stories to the press and making the couple's lives difficult internally."

Discover more

Royals

Gone baby: Queen reveals upset over Archie

01 Mar 08:46 PM
Royals

Harry, Meghan: Why LA hasn't been the happy ending the royals craved

17 May 05:04 PM
Royals

Queen Elizabeth's masterful Meghan Markle PR power move

23 Dec 07:00 PM
Royals

Comment: Prince Harry's big betrayal

07 Sep 07:29 AM

Scobie said this was why the couple were "thriving now in a way we haven't seen in a long time.

"I mean, how much have they achieved in a short period of time since leaving the royal family?"

The biographer also thinks the couple are happier with their new lives in America.

"You only need to look at the work they are doing and how vocal they've been about things that are so important to them."

His comments come after a source accused Harry and Meghan of failing to tell the Queen about their Netflix deal before telling the world. The Queen, 94, had to hear the news from her aides instead.

The venture involves a still-unnamed production company aiming to make documentaries, feature films and kids' programming.

"Harry did not inform the Queen about the Netflix deal," a source told The Sun.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

And the source told Fabulous that the Queen was all too aware of the pitfalls for royals when setting out on money-making projects.

"Prince Edward's production flop and some of the deals Sarah Ferguson has signed over the years, to name a few.

"Her view is simple, the Royals are not for sale and danger surrounds high-profile roles outside of the institution itself."

But the source added that since the Queen "knows her grandson Harry as she does", she will understand that the couple can't be talked out of their plans.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Lifestyle

Premium
World

'Can't assume it's harmless': Experts warn on marijuana's heart risks

20 Jun 03:20 AM
Lifestyle

Study: Sleeping over 9 hours raises death risk by 34%

20 Jun 12:57 AM
Premium
Lifestyle

5 keys to a healthy diet, according to nutrition experts

20 Jun 12:00 AM

Help for those helping hardest-hit

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Lifestyle

Premium
'Can't assume it's harmless': Experts warn on marijuana's heart risks

'Can't assume it's harmless': Experts warn on marijuana's heart risks

20 Jun 03:20 AM

The average age of patients in the study was just 38, highlighting risks for younger adults.

Study: Sleeping over 9 hours raises death risk by 34%

Study: Sleeping over 9 hours raises death risk by 34%

20 Jun 12:57 AM
Premium
5 keys to a healthy diet, according to nutrition experts

5 keys to a healthy diet, according to nutrition experts

20 Jun 12:00 AM
Beer, tonics, sauces: Why is does Japanese citrus yuzu seem to be everywhere right now?

Beer, tonics, sauces: Why is does Japanese citrus yuzu seem to be everywhere right now?

19 Jun 11:59 PM
Inside Leigh Hart’s bonkers quest to hand-deliver a SnackaChangi chip to every Kiwi
sponsored

Inside Leigh Hart’s bonkers quest to hand-deliver a SnackaChangi chip to every Kiwi

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP