Enough to ruin the Duchess’s last batch of strawberry jam.
New figures released by Netflix and obtained by DailyMail.com show that not only has viewer interest in Meghan and Harry fallen off a cliff, but the couple has well and truly been eclipsed by the popularity of their former friends, David and Victoria Beckham.
Engagement figures for 2023, released last week, reveal that the Beckhams’ eponymous documentary reached number one in global viewing with 43.9 million views between July and December last year.
During the same period, Harry and Meghan’s limited series Volumes I and II limped in with just 1.9 million views and 12.6 million total views for the entire year.
When it first aired in December 2022, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s documentary series was an instant success, giving Netflix its biggest debut ever with 81.6 million hours watched in the first four days. But after an initial frenzy, the numbers began to gradually decline as millions of viewers lost interest.
“Beckham” was a show that left viewers exhilarated by the Beckhams’ family life, relationships and work ethic. Fans raved about the couple’s “resilience” and marveled at Beckham’s self-effacing courage and ambition.
When it first aired in December 2022, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s documentary series was an instant success, giving Netflix its biggest debut ever with 81.6 million hours watched in the first four days. But, after an initial frenzy, the numbers began to steadily decline as millions of viewers lost interest and the series lost its appeal well before the sixth episode aired.
The show has now fallen to No. 211 in the streaming platform’s global rankings, while “Beckham” is No. 1 with 3.5 times audience figures and 208.5 million hours watched over the first two months only.
The disparity may be due in part to the fact that fans who had watched Harry and Meghan’s docuseries hoping for insight and intimacy instead became fatigued by their relentless “woe is me” tone. Viewers complained about the couple’s self-centeredness and the fact that, for all their enviable privileges, they seemed to do nothing but lament their fate.
In contrast, “Beckham” was a show that left viewers in awe of the Beckhams’ family life, relationships and work ethic. Fans raved about the couple’s “resilience” and marveled at Beckham’s self-effacing courage and ambition.
They were a couple of viewers who could follow, while Harry and Meghan were a couple of viewers who could leave behind.
David Beckham’s documentary attracted a record 3.8 million viewers, Netflix’s largest audience in the UK this year.
Netflix reportedly paid £88 million ($100 million) for Harry and Meghan’s explosive docuseries in a multi-year deal with the streaming giant.
Engagement figures for 2023, released last week, reveal the Beckhams’ eponymous documentary reached number one in global viewing
In recent months, speculation has grown that Harry, 39, and Meghan, 42, could lose the $100 million deal they signed with Netflix in 2020.
Aside from their fading docuseries, the pair’s vaunted deal with Netflix has so far only produced two shows that, according to the latest figures, have struggled to generate any interest.
“Heart of Invictus,” released in August 2023 and covering Prince Harry’s games for wounded warriors, crossed the finish line with just 300,000 views in 2023.
“Live to Lead,” released in December 2022, inspired by world leaders and featuring interviews with Ruth Bader Ginsberg and Gloria Steinem, has only garnered 800,000 views.
And when it comes to value for money, the Sussexes, with their $100 million deal, are nowhere near the Beckhams whose 43.9 million views cost Netflix a relatively modest $20 millions of dollars.
Coincidentally, that’s the size of the Spotify deal that Harry and Meghan lost out on when it collapsed in 2023 with just 12 episodes of Meghan’s “Archetypes” podcast to show for.
The row is believed to have intensified when the Sussexes allegedly accused the Beckhams of leaking information about them to the press – while royal biographers claimed Meghan ‘didn’t like the footballer’s friendship with the prince William.”
Victoria produced a white coat and bespoke dress for Meghan in 2020 which she wore during her final appearance at Westminster Abbey in March that year (pictured)
Here, FEMAIL explains how the relationship fell apart – from refusals of wedding invitations and disagreements over designer clothes to fears of being overshadowed.
Speaking at the time, Bill Simmons, head of podcast innovation and monetization at Spotify, described the couple as “crooks”, saying: “I would have loved to have been involved in the negotiation” Meghan and Harry leave Spotify. “The fucking crooks.” This is the podcast we should have launched with them.
Now sources are speculating their deal with Netflix could be about to follow the same path with Meghan’s cooking and lifestyle show and Harry’s polo documentary described as ‘padding’, while others ask what there is left for them to share now that their relationship with the rest of the royal family is all but over.
Harry and Meghan’s close friendship with Victoria and David Beckham also deteriorated. The former Spice Girl turned clothing designer and her husband were guests at the Sussexes’ wedding in May 2019.
Meghan often wore Victoria’s designs, with the older woman opening her little black book of British designers to her when she first moved to the country.
Meghan’s Strawberry Jams launched in April. Pictured is a basket sent to Kelly McKee Zajfen
Later, according to biographer Tom Bower, David, 49, and Victoria, 50, offered the couple shelter in their Los Angeles home while they looked for accommodation in the United States.
But according to Bower, a phone call from Harry to the former Manchester United star left Beckham “furious” and effectively ended a once warm friendship.
According to Bower, the royal family was concerned that close friends would leak stories about them to the press and Meghan was particularly suspicious of Victoria. Harry called and repeated this accusation to Beckham and the rest, along with the friendship, is history.
Now, to rub salt in the wounds of the Beckhams’ growing popularity in the face of Sussex’s decline, Beckham has probably spent more time with King Charles III than Harry this year, since the former England captain was announced as the new ambassador. at the King’s Foundation.
The king and the former footballer are now said to be “beekeeping buddies” who have exchanged jars of honey from their respective hives in Highgrove and Oxfordshire as well as beekeeping tips.
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