President Obama and the former First Lady have denied giving any advice to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. But the royal couple could have taken some tips from the Obamas as both of their Netflix deals look rather similar.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex signed a multi-year deal with Netflix to create TV series, films and children’s shows.
The pair have set up a production company as they continue to step away from their former roles as senior royals.
The Obamas also struck a multiyear production deal with Netflix in 2018 to produce shows and films for the online streaming service.
They said their production company would cover a wide spectrum of programming.
In a statement, the Obamas said: “Touching on issues of race and class, democracy and civil rights and much more, we believe each of these productions won’t just entertain, but will educate, connect and inspire us all.”
They added: “We hope to cultivate and curate the talented, inspiring, creative voices who are able to promote greater empathy and understanding between peoples, and help them share their stories with the entire world.”
The statements issued by the Sussexes and the Obamas after striking their deals with Netflix sound very similar to each other.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex said they want to focus on content “that informs but also gives hope”.
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As parents to a one-year old, the couple also plans to make “inspirational family programming”.
In their statement, the Sussexes said: “Our lives, both independent of each other and as a couple, have allowed us to understand the power of the human spirit, of courage, resilience and the need for connection.
“Through our work with diverse communities and their environments, to shining a light on people and causes around the world, our focus will be on creating content that informs but also gives hope.
“As new parents, making inspirational family programming is also important to us, as is powerful storytelling through a truthful and relatable lens.”
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Both the Sussexes and the Obamas have not revealed how much money is involved in the deals.
But other big deals that Netflix has made give a hint at what type of money the Sussexes might be enjoying.
In 2017, Shonda Rhimes, creator of the long-running show Grey’s Anatomy, signed a five-year deal estimated to be worth $150million.
In 2018, Ryan Murphy, creator of American Horror Story and Glee, also signed a five-year deal but worth a reported $300million.
The Sussexes are rumoured to have struck a deal worth $100million with the online streaming service.
Netflix has already enjoyed global success with its royal series The Crown.
The drama tells the story of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign and will be releasing it fourth season in November.
When the Obama’s made their Netflix deal, they reportedly saw it as an opportunity to maintain their high public profile after leaving the White House.
The Sussexes stepped back as senior members of the Royal Family earlier this year and have been living in the US since March.
