Netflix bosses are said to 'have noted' that the Duchess of Sussex appears to be professionally wooing billionaire Amazon boss Jeff Bezos.

Sources across Hollywood say there has been 'much chatter' at the streaming giant and beyond about the decision Meghan has made to return to the screen in the upcoming Amazon MGM Studio film Close Personal Friends, where she will take on a cameo role as herself.

Some have claimed Meghan, 44, who recently salvaged a 'first look' deal with Netflix after her $100million (£76million) five-year deal came to an end, is simply being a 'canny businesswoman' in siding with Bezos – rather than Netflix – to take on the acting job eight years after leaving the cast of legal drama Suits when she became engaged to Prince Harry.

But another source has pointed out that Bezos is one of the few people with enough money to bankroll any future projects both on and off-screen that Meghan and Harry might like to work on.

The source, from rival studio Disney, told The Mail on Sunday: 'The Sussexes have been the subject of much chatter this week. 

'People find it curious that Meghan seems to be professionally wooing Jeff Bezos but, to be brutally frank, who can blame her?

'He has all the money in the world and is one of the few people who can afford to bankroll any future projects of hers.'

Intriguingly, Harry and Meghan were also guests at Kris Jenner's 70th birthday party last weekend – which was held at the $165million (£123.5million) mansion owned by Jeff Bezos and his wife, Lauren Sanchez, in Beverly Hills.

Bezos, a huge James Bond fan, has already recently taken Euphoria actress Sydney Sweeney under his wing, reportedly investing millions in 'seed money' to help her launch a lingerie line.

In addition, Sydney is reportedly being lined up to be a Bond girl in the next 007 movie, which Amazon is set to produce after the franchise was sold to Bezos for $1billion.

A source at William Morris Endeavor (WME), Hollywood's biggest talent agency - which represents Meghan - told the MoS: 'The duchess is a smart businesswoman and very much in control of her career and where she sees it going.

'Of course, people are talking about her connection to Jeff Bezos and the fact she's chosen to star in an Amazon film, but there are very few big players in town and she has two of them - Netflix and Amazon.

'She's a canny businesswoman. Underestimate her at your peril.'

The film role will see Meghan return to acting for the first time since 2017. The film also stars Emily in Paris actress Lily Collins, Captain Marvel's Brie Larson and Jack Quaid, the actor son of Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan.

According to the New York Post's Page Six column, Meghan had been 'swamped with offers' since retiring from acting.

But this project, a comedy about a couple who befriend another celebrity couple during a trip to Santa Barbara, is said to have 'felt right' for Meghan.

Last night a source close to Netflix said: 'Everyone in Hollywood is talking about Meghan making her return to acting in an Amazon film rather than a Netflix project.

'It's a bit like when Meghan and Harry sat down with Oprah Winfrey to give their first big interview post Megxit.

'People all over town are wondering why they didn't come to Netflix? Of course, Netflix will never say anything remotely critical about them publicly. 

'But let's just say - this has been noted.'

Meghan and Harry's Netflix deal, which ended in September, is widely considered a bust in Tinseltown, although Netflix boss Ted Sarandos is said to 'adore' Meghan.

The Sussex's first project for the streaming giant, the six-part docuseries 'Harry & Meghan' in 2022 - which showed intimate behind-the-scenes footage of the couple as they exited the royal family - remains Netflix's most-watched documentary ever.

But other projects, including Harry's docuseries Polo and a show about the Invictus Games, both failed to take off.

Meghan's lifestyle show, With Love, Meghan, was widely ridiculed but ran over two seasons and a one-off 'holiday special' is set to screen before Christmas.

The streaming service also remains a partner in Meghan's As Ever lifestyle brand, which has just released its first holiday-themed collection, including scented candles, champagne, and a mulling spice kit.

The source added: 'People have been critical of the five-year deal but Netflix was happy with the documentary series which was a huge hit.

'That's why they signed a first-look deal with the Sussexes once the original deal came to an end. 

'Both of them are perfectly entitled to do other projects with other studios.

'Ted (Sarandos) doesn't care - he adores her - but others have remarked on it.

'Everyone is talking about why Meghan has chosen Jeff Bezos. He's a billionaire, dummy.'

Netflix and the Duchess of Sussex were approached for comment.

Blow by blow: The Sussexes and the projects that failed to land

Claims that Meghan has been 'professionally wooing' Bezos come hot on the heels of projects that still haven't come off the starting blocks and a lifestyle series that received less than flattering reviews.

The Duchess of Sussex revealed earlier this week that the holiday special of her show, With Love, Meghan, will be airing on December 3.  

She made the announcement on Instagram, sharing a glossy promotional shot of herself putting on a festive spread. 

Wearing an emerald green gown, the mother-of-two was photographed placing ornate Christmas decorations for a Yuletide feast. 

'Embrace traditions and make new ones this holiday season,' the caption read. 'With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration arrives December 3rd on Netflix.'

The streaming giant has already aired two seasons of the show, touting a selection of cooking and hosting 'tips' from the ex-working royal - but critics have been less than flattering in their reviews.

Previous A-lister guests have included the likes of Chrissy Teigen and Mindy Kaling, as well as members of the Sussexes' 'Montecito Crew', such as Abigail Spencer.

Season two of With Love, Meghan was panned as 'marginally less mad but more needy' than its predecessor - despite pulling in millions of viewers in its debut run.

The Mail's Liz Jones branded the new season 'staged, fake and dull' - but unlike other critics, commended Meghan for being 'genuinely earnest'.

The Guardian dismissed the show as 'so boring' and 'so contrived', while The Telegraph described the Duchess as a 'Montecito Marie Antoinette'.

The Times was equally cutting, calling the eight-part show 'a series in search of a meaning, fronted by a woman in need of some cash'.

Even with celebrity guests including Chrissy Teigen, John Legend and Tan France, critics argue the show lacks substance - and claim Meghan failed to be authentic.

According to an insider at the streamer, the Duchess of Sussex has 'had everything going for her' but viewing figures for With Love, Meghan have still been 'dismal' in the eyes of Netflix bosses.

Meghan's lifestyle show failed to break into Netflix's top 300 programmes for the first half of 2025 and was even thrashed by multiple seasons of Suits.

A second season of With Love, Meghan, was announced by the Duchess as the first season came out in March this year as part of the couple's $100million deal with the streaming giant, which expires this year.

But a Netflix source claimed: 'This deal is dead.

'She had everything going for her—name, platform, press—and the numbers were dismal.

'They're just waiting for the credits to roll. They're letting it expire without drama. There's no appetite for anything new.'

Meanwhile Harry's passion project documentary Polo ranked at a disastrous 3,436 out of 7,000 shows and was only watched by 500,000 people in six months. 

She and Harry endured another blow after they signed a new 'multi-year, first look deal for film and television projects' with Netflix - a downgrade on their previous $100million mega-deal.

The new arrangement is a first-look deal, meaning Netflix can agree - or disagree - to new film or TV projects before anyone else. 

Putting a positive spin on the renewed deal, the Sussexes - who made the announcement with Netflix - said it was 'extending their creative partnership' through Archewell Productions. 

But the new terms are understood to be worth less than their previous contract, according to a person familiar with the deal, and represent Netflix loosening its ties with the couple. 

Earlier this year, it was reported their adaptation of romantic novel Meet Me At The Lake is understood to be hanging in the balance and 'may never happen', according to sources in PageSix. 

The Sussexes announced in August 2023 that they would be producing the film for the streaming giant - but two years on and Archewell productions is reportedly yet to hire a director or pick a cast. 

A source in Hollywood told the outlet in July: 'By this point, you would have thought they would have got a director on board and a cast. So what is the delay?'

'And when you make something for Netflix, it takes a long time for it to actually hit the streamer - there is so much to do in post production, to make sure it's ready for every country. If the deal is up this year, then when is this film going to be made?'

Five months after Megxit in February 2020, the Sussexes bought their house in Montecito for $14.65million (£10,890,000).

In their tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey the following year, which took place while Meghan was pregnant with daughter Lilibet, Prince Harry reflected on their money-making activities to date.

He said their deals with Netflix and Spotify had both been driven by financial necessity.

The prince said he was cut off by his family in the first quarter of 2020, shortly after he and Meghan announced they would step back as senior members of the royals.

He added that he still had the money left to him by his late mother, Princess Diana.

'Without that, we wouldn't have been able to do this,' he said, referring to the family's move to California.