Why ‘The Crown’ Returns Without Harry and Meghan

Local fans of “The Crown,” Netflix’s long-running drama about the British Royal Family, will have enjoyed its portrayal of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, who were frequent visitors to Palm Beach. Palmer wrote about the royal couple’s fondness for the island here.

But as the sixth and final season gets set to begin on November 16, don’t expect to see a portrayal of their modern royals-in-exile contemporaries, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, a.k.a. the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

While season six delves into the romance between Prince William and Kate Middleton—played by actors Ed McVey and Meg Bellamy—the fuss around what British tabloids dubbed “Megxit” will not be addressed. There’s an “official version” of why that is so, and also a more cynical take.

First, the official version:

“The Meghan and Harry story is nowhere near over yet, and I’m happy that I’m never going to write it,” said showrunner Peter Morgan. “Meghan and Harry are in the middle of their journey, and I don’t know what their journey is or how it will end. One wishes some happiness, but I’m much more comfortable writing about things that happened at least 20 years ago.”

Cynics, however, point out that Harry and Meghan have their own content deal with Netflix, and therefore influence over how they are portrayed on the streaming platform. The deal with their production company, Archewell, signed in 2020, is reported to be worth $100 million. Their debut documentary series, “Harry and Meghan,” received mixed reviews from critics but was a hit with audiences, racking up 81.6 million viewing hours in its first four days of release, according to Variety.

That might explain why there are no actors listed on “The Crown’s” IMDb page as lined up to play Meghan Markle or the young adult Prince Harry, who was portrayed in season five as a child.

There will still be plenty of plummy pomp to savor, however, as Imelda Staunton returns in her role as Queen Elizabeth II and Jonathan Pryce as her husband, Prince Philip. Put your feet up on a corgi and enjoy.