Meghan Duchess of Sussex set for Suits windfall

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, has netted a six-figure sum from the sale of her TV drama Suits to broadcasters around the world, including the BBC.

The series ended in 2019 but has recently enjoyed a resurgence on Netflix, and it has now been sold to more than 240 territories across every continent, with repeat fees lining the pockets of its stars.

Media giant NBCUniversal, which manages sales of the series, is tight-lipped about exactly what royalties actors earn from the deals, but it's been estimated that the Duchess of Sussex could have earned nearly $200,000 (£155,000) from Netflix alone.

That comes on top of whatever she was originally paid per episode to play fiery paralegal Rachel Zane from 2011 to 2017, when she quit to get engaged to Prince Harry.

Instead of fading into insignificance, the series broke records last year when it dropped on Netflix, becoming the most-streamed show of 2023 and topping the charts for 12 weeks running.

An NBC source confirmed to the Daily Mail that "principal performers" including the Duchess get paid residuals from global sales, generally earning a percentage of the deal price.

Media website Deadline has estimated Netflix paid $37.5 million (£29.5 million) to license Suits, with the six leading actors sharing 3.6 per cent of that fee.

Most observers agree that the show's revival - which has now inspired a spin-off series - was linked to the public's fascination with the Duchess.