Nov. 7 2024, Published 4:52 p.m. ET
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are continuing their working relationship with Netflix, but the Duke of Sussex’s upcoming polo series might become another professional flop.
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“Making documentaries has never really gone well for the royals, particularly Prince Edward, when he started making lots of documentaries about his own family. That ended in disaster,” royal expert Phil Dampier told an outlet.
“Harry… needs to rein back, and hopefully we’re not going to get any more slagging off the royal family in his documentaries, and he moves into other things,” he continued.
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Harry’s new docuseries will highlight the exclusive world of polo, but he isn’t expected to be on screen.
“The polo one, I don’t think it’s gone down that well,” Dampier explained. “Everybody’s apparently [unhappy] because there’s hardly anything of the prince in it.”
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While Harry focuses on highlighting exclusive sports, Meghan is developing a culinary series for the streaming platform.
“Showing off this wonderful lifestyle you have in California, cooking and going to polo events, compared to two hard-working royals meeting survivors of domestic violence and meeting people… living on the street… the contrast is stark,” he noted.
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OK! previously reported Dampier predicted Meghan is currently prioritizing American Riviera Orchard.
“I think Meghan is genuinely doing a lot of work in the background for this Netflix project and American Riviera Orchard,” Dampier told an outlet. “She probably wants a bit of a hiatus so that she can launch that. As for Harry, obviously he’s been back and forth with a few charities.”
“They do seem to be going their separate ways. There’s no evidence that they’re splitting up at the moment personally,” he added. “I think we all have our doubts whether the marriage will last 10, 20, 30 years.”
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Royal editor Richard Eden claimed the Sussexes are giving up on their dreams of being seen as a “power couple.”
“When they recorded their first podcast, it was very much them together. It was the pilot episode and that was going to be the pattern: them together,” Eden said on the “Palace Confidential” podcast. “We saw that again on the Netflix series, but for whatever reason – whether it’s Megan or it’s Harry – they’ve decided that’s not the way to go.”
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The Duke of Sussex spent three weeks traveling alone to focus on his patronages, and royal experts believe the duke wants to re-establish himself as a humanitarian.
“What Harry seems to be doing is focusing on philanthropy,” Eden noted. “His most successful projects, the ones that resonate the most with people are the ones that were set up when he was a working royal – so the Invictus games his patronage of WellChild for example.”
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Harry’s time in Lesotho was reminiscent of his 2006 gap year in the nation, as he spent time dedicated to HIV/AIDS advocacy work.
“We loved him then. He was seen holding African children in his arms, opening hospitals and schools, raising millions and millions for Africa,” royal expert Charlotte Griffiths noted. “That was ‘Peak Harry,’ and I think he’s going through a period of reflection at the moment.”