Meghan Markle's Netflix safety net is gone after Bela Bajaria's exit, experts say

Meghan Markle's reported bid to join the cast of Netflix's "The Gentlemen" appears to have stalled, and royal commentators say the Duchess of Sussex has lost the Netflix executive who had long backed her and her husband, Prince Harry. Royal experts told Fox News Digital that the "safety net" Meghan had at the streaming service "is gone," as uncertainty about her relationship with Netflix threatens to derail her acting return.

British broadcaster Helena Chard said Bela Bajaria, described as the couple's "champion inside Netflix," has left the company. Variety reported that Bajaria was leaving Netflix after nearly 10 years with the streamer, and that around 1,000 employees were laid off. Chard said that Meghan may want to move straight into a leading acting role, but "there is far more stacked against it happening."

Meghan had reportedly been under consideration for a role in the third season of Guy Ritchie's Netflix drama, which is set in the United Kingdom and was renewed in August. Deadline reported that talks about her joining the cast were in the "very early stages," while The Hollywood Reporter said the role was still being written and it was unclear how many episodes she would appear in.

The reported casting talks have also drawn friction. A source close to Meghan told The Telegraph that some people in her camp felt she had been "used to help promote" the second season, which they believed was not as strong as the first and had already been commissioned for a third. The source described the episode as a marketing tactic, saying that a big name reading a script and being reported as "in conversation" can generate publicity even when a project is not far along. The same source said the episode left a sour taste in the Sussex camp.

A source close to Netflix rejected the criticism, telling The Times, "This is not a show in need of stunt casting." A Netflix consultant who worked closely with Bajaria told The Times that the relationship between the streamer and the couple had been called into question. "Effectively, their biggest champion has gone, and they are uncertain about who will be shouting for their cause in the future," the consultant said, adding that staff had known how loyal Bajaria was to the couple.

Kinsey Schofield, host of "Kinsey Schofield Unfiltered," said she saw Meghan's public criticism of Netflix as a sign that the partnership had run its course. "This was one of their most important commercial partners," Schofield said, adding that a company is not typically criticized when it is expected to finance a major future project. She also noted that Netflix had withdrawn from its investment in As Ever, Meghan's lifestyle brand, and that Meghan had credited Bajaria with recognizing the television potential of her lifestyle show, "With Love, Meghan."

The relationship has changed considerably over the past year. Harry and Meghan first partnered with Netflix in 2020 under a deal reportedly worth $100 million, with projects including the 2022 series "Harry & Meghan," 2023's "Heart of Invictus" and 2024's "Polo." Although reports in July 2025 suggested the original agreement would not be renewed, Netflix announced a new multiyear, first-look deal with Archewell Productions in August 2025. In March 2026, Netflix and Meghan announced the end of their As Ever partnership, with the duchess moving forward independently. According to The Times, Netflix previously scrapped an animated project from the couple, and little has been reported about planned film adaptations of the war memoir "No Way Out" and the romance novels "Meet Me at the Lake" and "The Wedding Date."

British royal expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital that Meghan "did nothing to thwart all the speculation" sooner, and that Netflix did not issue a statement addressing the casting rumors. "They benefited from the additional coverage even if, as they claim, it wasn't needed," Fordwich said, adding that such a high-profile show would have been a high-profile win for Meghan. Fox News Digital reached out to Archewell and Netflix for comment.

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Delaney Sawyer

Society Reporter

Delaney Sawyer covers public affairs, politics, business, culture and daily news for Core Memo. The role focuses on verification, context, and clear explanations for readers.

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