A FRESH START

Meghan and Harry will be glad to put 2020 behind them as they stride purposefully into the new year

- NASIFA SULAIMAN

ONE whole year. That’s how long it’s been since Harry and Meghan dropped the bombshell that rocked the royal family and sent shock waves around the world.

The golden couple were quitting The Firm. They wanted a future where they called the shots, decided where to live, how to spend their time and make money.

They’d had it with the constant scrutiny, the rules, the protocol and being told what to do and when and how to do it.

And so they upped and offed and are now living in Santa Barbara, California, where their neighbours include Oprah Winfrey and the sun shines on average 283 days a year.

It hasn’t all been about basking in golden sunshine and sniffing sweet-smelling roses, though. As Harry put it recently, “This year has been universally tough for everyone.”

The couple will look back at 2020 with mixed emotions and, like the rest of the world, hope that 2021 is a damn sight better.

THEY SIGNED DEALS

In September, the couple inked a contract worth an estimated $100 million (then about R1,6 billion) with Netflix, which will see them making documentaries and scripting shows, feature films and children’s programmes for the streaming giant.

“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,” the couple said in a statement.

They added that Netflix’s “unprecedented reach will help us share impactful content that unlocks action”.

The Sussexes also signed a deal with Spotify worth about $40m (then about R584m) to produce a series of podcasts.

THEY SETTLED DOWN