Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are quietly shopping a top secret project to network administrators as they establish themselves in their new life in Hollywood, a new report claims.
Sources tell Variety that the former royal couple began showing their idea to ‘numerous’ media companies back in June, around the time they bought a huge estate in Santa Barbara.
Very few details are known about the project, including the concept behind it and whether it would be a TV series or another format.
However, one source with knowledge of the idea said that Harry and Meghan intend to serve as joint producers on the venture should it be picked up.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are quietly shopping a top secret project to network administrators as they establish themselves in their new life in Hollywood, a new report claims. The pair will be pictured at the premiere of The Lion King in London in July 2019
The occupants said that NBCUniversal was among the networks that owned the field.
They said the couple had a meeting with the media giant’s top executives, including NBCUniversal Content Studios chairman Bonnie Hammer, whom Meghan has known since her days at Suits.
A friend of Meghan’s told Variety that she had no intention of appearing in her project with Harry or in other ventures.
Rumors of Harry and Meghan getting a home in Hollywood have been rampant since the couple announced their plans to act as senior royals, seek financial independence and move to North America in January.
Meghan’s first post-Megxit job in showbiz was as a narrator of the Disney Plus docuseries Elephants, which came out in April.
The 39-year-old Los Angeles resident took the job after Harry spoke about her speaking skills to Disney President Bob Iger at the London premiere of the Lion King live-action remake last summer.
Their funding for the project went entirely to the charity of Elephants Without Borders – an organization dedicated to the conservation of wildlife and helping to protect animals from poaching.
Harry followed in her footsteps by appearing in a new Netflix documentary about the Paralympic Games called Rising Phoenix. That film was released on August 26th.
Last year, Harry announced that he was working with Oprah Winfrey on an Apple TV + documentary on mental health.
It is unclear whether the couple released their secret project to Disney, Netflix or Apple TV +.
Rumors of Harry and Meghan getting a home in Hollywood have been rampant since the couple announced their plans to act as senior royals, seek financial independence and move to North America in January (photo photo)
Meghan’s first post-Megxit job in showbiz was as a narrator of the Disney Plus docuseries Elephants, which came out in April. The 39-year-old pictured in a promotion for the film
Harry followed in her footsteps by appearing in a new Netflix documentary about the Paralympic Games called Rising Phoenix. He is depicted in a trailer for the film
Shortly after the duke and duchess announced their intention to step down from royal duty, a senior Netflix executive said the streaming giant would like to work with them.
Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos told the Screen Actors Guild Awards in January that the streaming giant would love to work with Harry and Meghan, adding: ‘Who would not be interested? For sure. ‘
The decision to work with Netflix is also a move reminiscent of former President Barack Obama and his lawyer wife Michelle.
In January, sources confirmed that the couple had discussed their plans with the Obamas and wanted to leave behind the way they managed to build a successful, but worthy, life for themselves after the White House.
Since leaving the White House, the Obamas have earned a small fortune by selling rights to their autobiographies and setting up their own production company, which has wrapped up a lucrative deal with Netflix.
A source said: ‘They have found enormous commercial success without actually seeing if they get their hands dirty, put it bluntly and maintain their popularity.
‘In fact, it’s fair to say her star has risen since she left the White House, particularly Michelle’s, and this is something that Meghan admires very, very much. ‘
After retiring as senior royals, Meghan and Harry signed with Harry Walker Agency in New York in June, representing the Obamas and the Clintons.
Meghan has made several appearances as a speaker at various online summits, however, it is understood that she did not receive payment for these assignments.
Experts estimate that the Sussexes, however, earn an impressive amount of public speaking, with one agency estimating that the couple could hear a maximum of $ 500,000 in one appearance.
In February, a PR expert told DailyMail.com that the couple may have earned ‘up to $ 1 million’ between them to speak at a star-studded JP Morgan summit in Miami, insisting that the pair will be the ‘highest paid speakers’. in the ‘corporate market’.
Meghan and Harry are likely to follow in the footsteps of former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle, who are currently working with Netflix on various documentaries. Harry and Barack are pictured together in 2017
“I would not be shocked if they earned more than $ 1 million,” said Ronn Torossian, CEO of 5W Public Relations, New York, about their commitment to JP Morgan.
‘Over the year, her honors could be unlimited.’
Meanwhile, GDA speakers, whose clients include Nicole Kidman and Diane Keaton, told TMZ that the duke and duchess are likely to incur much higher fees than normal celebrities, even without their HRH titles.
The majority of celebrities with big names earn between $ 200,000 and $ 300,000 for a speaking engagement, however, the agency estimates that Harry and Meghan can each nearly double that amount due to their impressive worldwide status.
Finding Freedom co-author Omid Scobie also claimed that it has some big plans for the coming years, and bases its work model on the Obamas.
He said her plans were ‘not too different’ from what the former president made after leaving the White House and setting up production company Higher Ground.
He pointed to Obama’s multi-year production run with Netflix to produce films and documentaries that address topics such as race, class, and civil rights.
Harry and Meghan’s public interests are largely focused on social issues, environmental concerns and mental health – so it is possible that their project could become central in those areas.
While it is not known exactly how much the former president and first lady made their Netflix deal, those who have signed similar agreements have made millions.
Shonda Rhimes, who created Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal, signed a 2017 deal with Netflix in 2017 that is estimated to be worth $ 150 million.
The following year, American Horror Story creator Ryan Murphy scored $ 300 million when he signed his own five-year deal with the streaming giant.
Reports of Harry and Meghan’s abusive project came days after it was revealed that the couple had secretly purchased a private family home in Santa Barbara, and closed Tyler Perry’s 12-bedroom Beverly Hills inn for ‘male privacy’.
The couple bought the nine-bedroom, 16-bath home in upscale Montecito for $ 14.65 million on June 18.
List of properties says the house took nearly five years to build and include a library, office, spa with a separate dry and wet sauna, a gym with a stripper pool, game room, arcade, theater, wine cellar and five-car garage.
It also comes with a flight of A-list neighbors who could help her achieve her Hollywood aspirations, including Ellen DeGeneres and Oprah.
Reports of Harry and Meghan’s removal project came days after it was revealed that the couple had secretly purchased a private family home in Santa Barbara (pictured)
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