Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Hollywood ventures appear to be facing significant hurdles, with several Netflix projects stalled and a key executive leaving their production company, Archewell Productions. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's film projects, "Meet Me at the Lake" and "The Wedding Date," are reportedly still in development with no apparent progress since March. An industry insider, however, cautioned that such delays are standard in the film industry, particularly for adaptations requiring script development with book authors.
"Meet Me at the Lake," based on Carley Fortune's novel, has been in development since August 2023, and a director is attached. "The Wedding Date," adapted from Jasmine Guillory's romance novel, has been in development since 2025. The couple's untitled scripted polo drama also lacks an update.
Adding to the challenges, Chantal Pysnik, the longtime head of nonfiction at Archewell Productions and one of the company's first hires, has departed. Pysnik was instrumental in the production of the couple's Netflix docuseries "Harry & Meghan" and attended the Sundance Film Festival in January for the screening of "Cookie Queens." Her show "With Love, Meghan" was nominated for an Emmy but lost to a dog-themed series.
Pysnik reportedly sought a new chapter in her career, leaving Harry and Meghan to find a replacement. Nishika Kumble, senior vice president of scripted television, remains a key executive at Archewell. This departure follows news last month that Archewell Productions was downsizing its staff, with several other executives having previously left the company, including Ben Browning, Fara Taylor, Mandana Dayani, Rebecca Sananes, and Bennett Levine.
The recent leadership changes at Netflix, including the ousting of content chief Bela Bajaria and film boss Dan Lin, have also introduced uncertainty, though Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos reportedly remains supportive of the Sussexes. In March, Netflix officially severed ties with Meghan's "As Ever" brand, canceling "With Love, Meghan" after two seasons.
The couple relocated to the UK in August after six years in California. Their move back to Britain was followed by allegations of child pornography involving Meghan's estranged father, Thomas Markle Sr. Local police are investigating these claims, which Thomas Markle Sr. has vehemently denied. Amid the scandal, the family took a vacation and are scheduled for their first official joint overseas appearance since their return in Brussels, Belgium.