Why Prince Harry refused to appear in Meghan Markle's Netflix show

Prince Harry was notably absent from season two of Meghan Markle’s Netflix series With Love, Meghan, which dropped on August 26. 

While the Duchess of Sussex welcomed celebrity friends like José Andrés, Jamie Kern Lima, and Tan France across eight episodes, Harry never appeared on camera, not even for a brief cameo.

Instead, his presence was felt through Meghan’s affectionate mentions and personal photos, including a cap she designed for his 40th birthday and sweet stories about their romance. 

According to a crew insider, the decision may have been deliberate: “It was clear he wanted this to be Meghan’s moment to shine.”

Speaking to PEOPLE, Meghan, 44, explained why she chose not to film at the couple’s Montecito home, which she shares with Harry, 40, and their children, Archie, six, and Lilibet, four. 

“Our kitchen is where Mama just cooks for the family,” she said, adding that hosting a crew of 80 would disrupt their “sacred” family time.

Though Harry didn’t join on-screen, Meghan’s stories about their wedding, their Botswana getaway, and even his dislike for seafood made him part of the narrative. 

The duchess also reunited with wedding chef Clare Smyth, who revealed that Harry and Meghan inspired Core’s off-menu fried chicken, a legacy Meghan proudly joked could be her “claim to fame.”

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