Harry and Meghan: Netflix tease dramatic end to documentary

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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have welcomed cameras into their home to give the world a glimpse into their family life. In a six-part documentary series, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are telling their “side of the story”, revealing details about their relationship, time in the Royal Family and new lives in the US. The personal insight has been discussed across the globe, with many expressing their surprise over the Sussexes’ openness. Russell Myers, royal editor at the Daily Mirror, has argued the couple have given Netflix “everything,” revealing he was “astounded” by Harry and Meghan’s willingness to give the public a “full-on window into their world”. 

Speaking on last week’s episode of the Pod Save The King podcast, Mr Myers noted the Sussexes’ previous emphasis on wanting their right to privacy, questioning how an intimate docuseries fits this inclination. 

He said: “I’m still not sure where I stand on it because, on the one hand, they have bemoaned the fact that they wanted to leave for their right to privacy and their children’s privacy as well. And then on the other, they have taken part in a multi-million-dollar Netflix series where they have given over [everything].

“The genie is out the bottle now — well and truly — they’ve given them everything. I was astounded at the number of photographs — it was unbelievable. And I’m not talking just about the personal pictures, it’s the video diaries that were taking place, professional photography, both inside and outside the Palace. 

Mr Myers continued: “This is a full-on window into their world. The game has changed now for them. I don’t think that they can just walk away from this. They are celebrities and they’ve walked away from it [the monarchy]; they don’t have the protection that the Royal Family do with their private lives because they have opened the door.” 

Throughout the first three episodes of Harry & Meghan, the Duke and Duchess talk openly about their relationship and their experiences as working royals. Accompanying their interviews are photographs and videos from their childhoods, lives within the Palace walls and current home in the US. 

Harry and Meghan seemingly documented their exit from the Royal Family, with clips dating back to their final engagement as working members of the Firm. The series also includes photographs and footage of their children — four-year-old Archie and one-year-old Lilibet — who remain largely out of the spotlight. 

Early into the programme, Meghan opens up about her children’s privacy. “We’ve been really conscious of protecting our kids as best as we can and also understanding the role that they play in this really historical family,” she said. 

“As a dad, and as parents, I think consent is a really key piece to this,” Harry added. “That if you have children, it should be your consent as to what you share.”

At various moments throughout the series, both Harry and Meghan can be seen with their children. One clip shows the Duchess holding a very young baby Archie in what appears to be their UK home, Frogmore Cottage, a picture shows the Prince carrying his son on his shoulders. Another video sees Meghan feeding their chickens with one of their children — likely Lilibet — strapped to her chest. 

This intimate look into their lives as parents stands in stark contrast to the Sussexes’ previous strategy when it came to their children’s privacy. 

Photographs of both Archie and Lilibet have rarely made their way to the public sphere. It was just June this year that the first official image of the Sussexes’ daughter was released; the photo was taken at Frogmore and released to mark her first birthday. Likewise, Archie has hardly been photographed since Harry and Meghan’s departure from royal life. 

Zoe Forsey, host of Pod Save The King, noted this change in approach, saying: “It’s not just opening doors to pictures of them [Harry and Meghan], it’s pictures from inside their house, it’s pictures of the kids. While we see so much of George, Charlotte and Louis, we see them at public events; here, you can see the decor of the house — you can see the blanket, you can see the photos on the wall — it’s a whole different level of insight. 

She added: “And it’s weird that I feel like we’ve probably seen more of Archie and Lilibet in these three short episodes because you see them in their personal [lives] — we know what type of buggy they’ve got, we know the stroller, we know all of this.”

The couple’s desire for privacy has become a major talking point since the release of their docuseries, with some suggesting Harry and Meghan are going against their reasons for leaving the Royal Family. 

Their shock decision to step back from royal life in early January 2020 was announced in two coordinated statements from the Duke and Duchess and Buckingham Palace. In their statement at the time, the Sussexes said: “We now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America, continuing to honour our duty to the Queen, the Commonwealth and our patronages. This geographic balance will enable us to raise our son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charitable entity.”

A statement on the Sussex Royal website which outlined the Duke and Duchess’ roles after their departure, reads in part: “The Royal Family respect and understand the wish of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex to live a more independent life as a family, by removing the supposed ‘public interest’ justification for media intrusion into their lives. They remain a valued part of Her Majesty’s family.”  

At the time, there was commentary suggesting the press intrusion may have been a contributing factor to their decision. And since their exit, both Harry and Meghan have engaged in legal battles against newspaper publishers, including over privacy, following their declaration that they would no longer cooperate with them. 

Their Netflix series has provoked some commentators to claim the Sussexes have changed their tune on the subject of privacy. Dickie Arbiter, a former press secretary to the late Queen Elizabeth II, told GB News after watching the first three episodes on Thursday: “They left because they wanted privacy. Well, so much for privacy in this documentary because we are seeing a lot of family photographs.” 

Similarly, speaking about the trailers which were released in the lead-up to the series, Mr Myers said the couple have blown their desire for privacy “out of the water”. 

However, amid the widespread discussion, the Sussexes’ global press secretary released a statement contesting the couple stepped down from their royal roles for increased privacy. 

In a written statement released on Friday, Ashley Hansen said: “The Duke and Duchess have never cited privacy as the reason for stepping back. This distorted narrative was intended to trap the couple into silence. In fact, their statement announcing their decision to step back mentions nothing of privacy and reiterates their desire to continue their roles and public duties. Any suggestion otherwise speaks to a key point of this series.

“They are choosing to share their story, on their terms, and yet the tabloid media has created an entirely untrue narrative that permeates press coverage and public opinion. The facts are right in front of them.” 

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