Novelist Carley Fortune has shared a positive update on the film adaptation of her bestselling book, "Meet Me at the Lake," more than three years after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle acquired the rights.
Reports from August 2023 indicated that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had purchased the rights to Fortune's second fiction novel for a Netflix film adaptation in a deal reportedly valued at $2.9 million. Following a period of silence on the project, concerns had arisen that it might be stalled.
In a recent interview, Fortune, 42, offered a promising outlook on the movie's progress. She described her collaboration with Markle as "so wild" and revealed that she signed over the rights to Archewell after a "really good, long call" with Markle and Archewell film producer Tracy Ryerson.
Fortune stated that she felt Markle and her team "really understood the story and what mattered about the story." She elaborated that "it's a romance, but it's very much about a mother and daughter, too, and we talked a lot about parenthood, and also about how these love stories are about so much more." She also noted that the book addresses themes of grief and mental health, adding, "so I felt like it was in good hands with them."
While the project remains in development, Fortune confirmed that a director has been appointed and the script is currently being revised. She clarified that her professional relationship with Markle is strictly business, joking that she is not socializing with the couple on weekends.
"Meet Me at the Lake" follows the story of two strangers who share a profound connection over a single day, making a promise that has life-changing consequences. The novel, released in May 2023, sold 37,000 copies in its first week. Its themes include postnatal depression, mental health, and childhood trauma related to parental death.
When the rights acquisition was first announced three years ago, Fortune expressed her excitement about working with Netflix and Archewell. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex secured a significant deal with Netflix after stepping back as senior members of the British royal family in 2020. Their documentary series "Harry & Meghan" achieved considerable success, though other projects, such as the documentary "Polo," have had more modest viewership.
In August of the previous year, the couple entered into a new multi-year contract with the streamer. However, the partnership has seen some projects, like Markle's cooking show "With Love, Meghan," being canceled in January.