The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, are embarking on a new creative venture, shifting from documentary subjects to film producers. Their company, Archewell Productions, is set to produce a romantic comedy for Netflix, adapting the popular novel The Wedding Date.
From Royalty to Rom-Com Producers
According to industry reports from Deadline, the couple will produce the film adaptation of Jasmine Guillory’s 2018 bestseller The Wedding Date. They will work alongside Tracy Ryerson, who will serve as co-producer. This project represents a notable pivot for the Sussexes, whose Netflix output until now has primarily consisted of documentaries and lifestyle series like Harry & Meghan and Live to Lead.
The move is part of their ongoing, multi-year partnership with the streaming giant, which began with a landmark deal. In 2020, just nine months after stepping down as senior royals, Harry and Meghan signed a $US100 million agreement with Netflix. While reports in August suggested a recent extension of their partnership was "not as lucrative" as the original, Meghan released a statement expressing pride in the continued collaboration.
"We’re proud to extend our partnership with Netflix and expand our work together," she said. "My husband and I feel inspired by our partners who work closely with us and our Archewell Productions team to create thoughtful content across genres that resonates globally."
About 'The Wedding Date' and Harry's Rom-Com Flirtations
The Wedding Date is the first book in Guillory's romance series, published in January 2018. The plot follows a last-minute wedding date between a groomsman and a woman he meets in an elevator, exploring whether a fake relationship can turn into something real. The novel's blend of fun and flirtation seems a perfect fit for the screen.
Interestingly, this isn't Prince Harry's first foray into the light-hearted world of romantic comedies. On December 5, he made a surprise appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, participating in a comedy sketch where he jokingly auditioned for a part in a Hallmark-style Christmas movie titled The Gingerbread Prince Saves Christmas in Nebraska.
In the segment, which playfully critiqued the unrealistic expectations of royal-themed holiday films, Harry declared himself the "most handsome prince" and was ultimately cast by Colbert as the "official Late Show Prince of Christmas." The sketch demonstrated Harry's willingness to engage with the genre and his sense of humour about his own royal persona.
A Broadening Production Slate
The Sussexes' Archewell Productions has already delivered a diverse range of content for Netflix. Their portfolio includes:
- The intimate docuseries Harry & Meghan
- The inspirational series Live to Lead
- The documentary Heart of Invictus
- Lifestyle programming like Polo and With Love, Meghan
The production of The Wedding Date signals a strategic expansion into scripted entertainment, moving beyond the personal documentaries that have defined their media presence so far. It underscores their commitment to building a multifaceted production company capable of delivering content across various genres to a global audience. For Australian viewers and Netflix subscribers worldwide, this new project promises to add a dose of royal-produced romance to the streaming lineup.
