ROYALSNetflix DUMPS Meghan Markle & Prince Harry — Details
May 1 2022, Published 4:48 p.m. ET
There's been a bump in the road for the one of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's biggest business ventures. Netflix officially dropped the upcoming animated children's series Pearl, which was created by the Suits actress in partnership with their company Archewell Productions.
The royal couple is reportedly still under their original 2020 contract with the streaming giant to produce other content including docuseries and feature films, but Netflix will no longer be moving forward with the anticipated family show at this time.
Although Pearl was still in its early stages when it got the ax, Markle had a clear vision for the story and themes. The animated series had been set to follow the exciting journey of a 12-year-old girl named Pearl as she learned about some of history's most influential women — a topic deeply important to the Horrible Bosses actress.
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“Like many girls her age, our heroine Pearl is on a journey of self-discovery as she tries to overcome life’s daily challenges," Markle previously said in a statement announcing the project. "I’m thrilled that Archewell Productions, partnered with the powerhouse platform of Netflix and these incredible producers, will together bring you this new animated series, which celebrates extraordinary women throughout history. David Furnish and I have been eager to bring this special series to light, and I am delighted we are able to announce it today.”
As Netflix scrambles to stay afloat after a major stock drop and resulting staff layoffs, children's programming seems to be getting hit the hardest. The streaming service also dropped two other planned kids shows — Boons and Curses and Dino Daycare.
“Hard day for a beautiful show deep into production,” executive producer Chris Nee tweeted on Friday, April 29. “So much love to Jeff King and the incredible Dino Daycare crew. I have no doubt it will find a new home. But right now, hard.”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have yet to make a public statement on Netflix's decision.
