Britain’s Prince Harry and his American wife Meghan Markle have signed a “massive historical deal” deal with Netflix to produce years of programs.

The couple – who have moved to California with their son after stepping back from royal duties in Britain – will make documentaries, docu-series, feature films, scripted shows and children’s programming.

“Our focus will be on creating content that informs but also gives hope,” the couple said in a statement.

“As new parents, making inspirational family programming is also important to us.”

Talent agent Jonathan Shalit said the deal could be worth hundreds of millions of dollars to the former royals.

Tweet from @jonathanshalit

The news comes just over five months after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex formally ended their royal duties and sought financial independence.

Their partnership with Netflix will give them “unprecedented reach” to “help us share impactful content that unlocks action”, the pair said.

“Our lives, both independent of each other, and as a couple have allowed us to understand the power of the human spirit: Of courage, resilience, and the need for connection,” their statement read.

“Through our work with diverse communities and their environments, to shining a light on people and causes around the world, our focus will be on creating content that informs but also gives hope.”

Netflix’s co-chief executive and chief content officer, Ted Sarandos, said he was “incredibly proud” the Sussexes had made the company “their creative home”.

The Netflix crew “are excited about telling stories with them that can help build resilience and increase understanding for audiences everywhere”, Mr Sarandos said.

Meghan’s first post-royal job was as a narrator in a Disney documentary film that follows an elephant family on a 1600-kilometre journey across the Kalahari Desert.

Harry and Meghan are living in Santa Barbara with their son, Archie.

-AAP