Netflix Launches Meghan Markle's Suits On Streaming Same Day As Trooping The Colour
King Charles III was born in November, but England will celebrate the monarch's birthday on June 17, in a gala event known as Trooping the Colour. Coincidentally — or perhaps not so coincidentally — in the United States, Netflix will start streaming the USA Network original series "Suits" on the same day.
If you're unaware of the connection, Meghan Markle was one of the stars of the series, appearing in 108 of the show's 134 episodes. "Suits" ran from 2011-2019, with Markle exiting in 2017, two seasons shy of the final nine. Markle met Prince Harry in 2016, the two were engaged in 2017, and the royal wedding took place in May 2018, just a few weeks after her last episode aired in April of the same year.
The date of Trooping the Color was announced by Buckingham Palace at the end of 2022, while Netflix made its announcement in May 2023. In recent days, it has become clear that Harry and Meghan will not be attending the British birthday celebration, with royal historian Gareth Russell telling Us Weekly, "I think this is one of the events where the Sussexes were never going to be invited."
Is Netflix throwing shade?
Given that it's no secret the royal family is at odds with Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle, the timing of Netflix's release of "Suits" has raised a few eyebrows. Harry and Meghan are tight with Netflix; the duo created Archewell Productions and signed a creative deal with the streaming service in 2020. Netflix was pretty pleased when they nabbed the royal couple, commenting in a statement reported by People, "We're incredibly proud they have chosen Netflix as their creative home and are excited about telling stories with them."
In 2022, Netflix released the couple's documentary series "Harry & Meghan," which quickly garnered a huge viewership in the millions. And Archewell Productions' long-awaited series about The Invictus Games, announced way back in 2021, is finally slated for a summer 2023 release.
While there are some who believe Netflix's streaming of "Suits" in the U.S., and particularly in its matching premiere date to Trooping the Colour, is the streaming network's way of once again aligning with Harry and Meghan, the fact is that Netflix has already been streaming the show in the U.K. and other countries. Netflix is also involved in the current writers strike, and it's been suggested that bringing "Suits" to the U.S. is just a way to fill the gap caused by the halting of their original series. In the end, it all comes down to whether you're going to be watching the Trooping the Color on June 17, or binge-watching "Suits."