Since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle moved to California earlier this year, it has been rumored that they had a plan to get a foothold in Hollywood. They now seem to be taking steps to do just that. According to sources, the couple quietly came up with an idea for a project around the city, Variation has learned.
While the concept behind their pitch is not known, the world-famous couple took part in networking meetings in June. Also not known: if the pitch is intended for a scripted or unscripted TV series, or something else. But anyway, the couple would like to serve as co-producers on the project, according to a source with knowledge of the top-secret idea.
Insiders indicate that their pitch has been sold to a number of media companies. One spot that the field has heard is NBCUniversal where a meeting was set up with top executives at the company, including Bonnie Hammer, the president of NBCUniversal Content Studios, who knew Markle from her years as an actor on “Suits.”
NBCUniversal declined to comment when contacted Variation.
A source close to Markle tells Variation that the former royal has absolutely no plans to act, and that they will therefore not act in the project that was imposed.
Representatives for the couple declined to comment on this story.
Markle’s first job back in Hollywood took the form of telling a Disney Plus documentary, “Elephants,” which premiered in April. The film benefits from Elephants Without Borders, an organization that protects the elephants living in Botswana. The telling appearance came after Markle was seen interviewing Disney President Bob Iger at the London premiere of “The Lion King” last summer.
But it is not known when her latest project to Disney was stolen. A rep from the studio declined to comment when Disney executives met her.
Before giving her royal titles, Prince Harry announced in 2019 that he was collaborating with Winfrey on an Apple TV + documentary on mental health. And last week, he made a surprise appearance in the Netflix trailer for the documentary “Rising Phoenix,” which launches later this month and will tell the story of the Paralympic Games. It is unclear if the pair have yet to meet with Apple or Netflix on their current round of meetings.
In June, the pair signed with the high-profile New York-based speaking agency, Harry Walker Agency, which represents the Obamas and the Clintons. Whatever talk engagements they may take, they are said to be focused on social issues, environmental concerns and mental health – all issues that lie close to the hearts of Markle and Prince Harry, and may provide a glimpse into the content genre where they may be up for any project in which they are involved.
Although their transfer to the United States has been recent, the duo does not seem to have a shortage of friends in Hollywood. Since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex moved to California in early 2020, they have lived briefly in the home of Tyler Perry in Beverly Hills. They have now established themselves in Montecito, which is much more private and paparazzi-proof Los Angeles, but still close enough to the studios for their latest creative aspirations.
