The long-awaited Netflix documentary-style six-part series on ex-royals Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, was released last Thursday. People couldn’t watch it fast enough! The first three episodes were released at 8a.m BST. Already the documentary has kicked up a storm on social media.
Co-directing the series along with the Netflix team, the documentary explores Harry and Meghan’s relationship behind closed doors. The couple withdrew from their royal patronages at the beginning of 2021. This arrived after them stepping back from working Royals in 2020.
The film is directed by two-time Academy Award-nominated and Emmy award-winning director Liz Garbus. He described the process as a “privilege”. He goes on to say “it is an incredible love story set against the context of huge stakes”. The focus on the core love story is key throughout the documentary. It has been framed almost as Harry and Meghan as a team against the rest of the royal family.
The show is branded as being the “truth” behind life inside the Royal Family. Closely linked to the death of Princess Diana (Harry’s mother) in 1997, the couples explore the impact of the media. Clips from Diana’s famous Panorama interview are included in the series.
Ironically almost, #HarryandMeghanNetflix is number 1 trending on Twitter today as people binge-watch the series. The BBC even did a live reaction follow-along: if this series has done anything, it’s attracted public attention!
Some core royalists have taken a harsh and judgemental approach so far:
Piers Morgan, a controversial British broadcaster, publicly continued his hatred towards the couple.
What Have Netflix Said?
Netflix has promoted the documentary as “unprecedented” in the lead-up to its release.
Teasing the public with little clips and allusions to release dates, this has got to be one of the biggest documentaries Netflix has ever been involved in. Appealing to people worldwide, especially in the UK and US, the couple is predicted to bring in some of the biggest views Netflix has ever had.
“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are no ordinary couple. Theirs is one of the most high-profile love stories in history, and even the most plugged-in fans and followers of their story have never heard it told like this before.”
As many shows leave the platform heading into 2023, this is going nowhere. The final 3 installments are being released on December 15th. Netflix promises a new and exciting take on the couple. I guess we’ll just have to see if it lives up to everything we’re all expecting.