Meghan Markle, Prince Harry making Netflix film of romance novel 'Meet Me At The Lake'

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, through their Archewell Productions company, are venturing into the movie business. They are making a Netflix adaptation of the best-selling romance novel "Meet Me At The Lake" by Carley Fortune.

Fortune told Fox News Digital that she is "thrilled about working with Netflix and Archewell" to bring her book to the small screen. She said, "Will and Fern's love story is dear to my heart, and I can't imagine a more perfect partnership."

Her publisher, Penguin Random House, also confirmed the partnership in a statement to Forbes on Monday. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, however, have yet to comment on their new project.

"Meet Me At The Lake" tells the story of 32-year-old Fern who returns to her mom's lakeside resort in Canada to sort out her life following her mother's death from a car crash. There, she reconnects with a long-lost love named Will Baxter, who has a penchant for expensive suits.

The story shares several similarities to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's lives. The couple also met while they were in their 30s and while she was filming "Suits" in Canada. The book's story is set near Toronto. The duke also lost his mother, Princess Diana, to a tragic car crash in Paris and he calls his only brother Prince William, Will.

Prince Harry's memoir "Spare" and Meghan Markle's children's book "The Bench" are also under Penguin Random House. The New York Times bestselling book also deals with themes of childhood trauma, just as the duke experienced over his mother's death.

It also deals with postpartum struggles, which the duchess opened up about during her Oprah interview in March 2021. Moreover, the book discusses mental health, which the "Invictus Games" founder has been vocal about in previous interviews and discussed further in his memoir.

The book's synopsis also talks about Fern and Will's "undeniable connection" which Prince Harry and Meghan Markle share. In the "Harry & Meghan" series, the couple talked about how they felt instantly connected to each other and that the chemistry was already there even from the first time they met on a blind date.

It is unclear how much Archewell Productions paid to acquire the film rights to "Meet Me At The Lake." It is reportedly estimated to be as much as £3 million ($3.8 million), although Penguin Random House and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have kept this information private.

The film adaptation of Fortune's book will be the fourth project for the Sussexes under their five-year, $100 million contract with Netflix, which they signed in 2020. The couple signed their deal with the goal of creating exclusive content that not just informs but also gives hope, with a focus on feature films, documentaries, children's programming, and scripted content.

Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos said in a statement at the time that they were "incredibly proud" that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle chose Netflix as "their creative home." He also shared his excitement to work with the couple to tell stories "that can help build resilience and increase understanding for audiences everywhere."

The Sussexes have released two docuseries so far, namely "Harry & Meghan" which told their love story, and "Live to Lead" in December 2022. Another documentary, called "Heart of Invictus," will stream this summer although there is no release date announced yet. The streaming giant scrapped the couple's planned animated series "Pearl" even before it began pre-production.

"Meet Me At The Lake" is a tale of love, loss, and forgiveness. Among those who read the book include journalist Katie Couric, who called the story "beautiful, charming, witty, poignant, and all the things you could want in a spring read."