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Meghan and Harry won’t win back public – people want royal drama, not their woke TV projects
Fans have been vocal about their thoughts on Harry's new sport
PRINCE Harry’s new Netflix series about polo will soon be released but won’t have the “same mass appeal” as their royal docuseries, according to experts.
On the latest episode of The Sun's Royal Exclusive Show, Vanity Fair’s royal correspondent Katie Nicholl said fans care more about their royal drama than polo or their woke projects.
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The royal expert explained: “How interested are people in polo?”
She added: “I just think the problem is that getting bums on seats in the wake of the Harry and Meghan docuseries, which was such compelling viewing because it was about them leaving.
“It was about their new lives.
“People wanted to tune in and watch that.
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“I just don't think this is going to have the same mass appeal.”
The Sussexes’ six-part Harry & Meghan docuseries was released on Netflix on December 8, 2022 and shared behind-the-scenes details on quitting royal duties.
While some fans enjoyed a behind-the-scenes look at their lives, many took issue with their criticism of the royal family.
The show had a number of explosive claims, including Harry saying Prince William "screamed and shouted" at him during one tense meeting and him saying there is a "huge level of unconscious bias" in the royal family.
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Harry’s second Netflix project was his Heart of Invictus docuseries following six people competing in the 2022 Invictus Games.
Katie added: “When you compare it to the documentary that Harry did on the Invictus Games, which is arguably far more worthy a topic than polo, which is a bit racy and a little bit different, I mean, the viewing figures for that, they were okay.
“I think the idea that anything's going to match that docuseries is probably pretty far-fetched. Let’s wait and see.”
Watch first look of Meghan and Harry's new Netflix series with 'grit and glamour' show to air in weeks
However, the royal expert pointed out that Disney’s Rivals - an adaptation of the 1988 Jilly Cooper novel of the same name - has been a big success.
Speaking of the trailer released for Prince Harry’s Polo show, Katie shared: “I think when you watch the trailer, which is very beautiful, it's beautifully produced.
“It's quite slick.
“I'm thinking Rivals at the moment on Disney is doing super well.
“Jilly Cooper did a best selling book called Polo. There is the potential, actually, for it to do well.”
However, she pointed out the issue would be getting people to watch the show, which airs on December 10.
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Confusing sport
Royal reporter Richard Palmer agreed, and pointed out the rules of polo can be tricky to grasp.
He added: “This is their problem, that people are interested in their royal lives, but they're not necessarily interested in other things that they produce.
“In my understanding, that Invictus series was a disappointment in terms of viewing figures.
“I've seen countless polo matches, and I still don't really understand the rules.”
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Richard claimed that Polo would stand a better chance of success if Prince Harry was starring in it.
Katie added: “I think it probably would have had a better chance if he was in it, but, as far as we're aware, he's not.
“He's exec producing, and it's quite that's quite that's quite a big risk, because you've obviously got Meghan doing her cookery show.
I just think the problem is that getting bums on seats in the wake of the Harry and Meghan docuseries, which was such compelling viewing because it was about them leaving
Katie Nicholl
“She's going to be very central to that.
“And I still think there is that curiosity factor about both of them. I think you want to see them.
“You know, when Harry comes to life, when he's on a screen, he's actually, he's pretty good at it.
“So, you know, it'll be interesting to see how his exact production debut goes.”
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Harry's Polo launch
The highly anticipated trailer for the documentary produced by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex was released on X by Netflix in November.
It was captioned: "Polo, a behind-the-scenes look at the fast-paced and glamorous world of the sport, is coming to Netflix on December 10.
"Follow elite global players on and off the field as they compete in the high-stakes U.S. Open Polo Championship.
"From executive producers Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex."
Harry said in a statement the series offers viewers an "unprecedented, behind-the-scenes look into the passion and determination" driving some of the world's top polo players, "revealing the grit behind the glamour".
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He added: "We're proud to showcase the true depth and spirit of the sport - and the intensity of its high-stakes moments."
The trailer suggests the athletes that appearing in the docuseries include Adolfo Cambiaso, Poroto Cambiaso, Louis Devaleix, Timmy Dutta, Keko Magrini and Nacho Figueras.
Nacho Figueras, a close friend of Harry, said: "Imagine going on a horse at 35mph with someone coming at you at full speed."
"Polo is not just a sport, polo is a lifestyle. We eat, we breathe, we sleep polo," Nacho continued.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped down from royal duties in 2020 and have set up a new life for themselves in California with Prince Archie, five, and Princess Lilibet, three.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s Netflix shows “won’t work”
MEGHAN Markle and Prince Harry’s Netflix shows “won’t work” as they need to stop slamming the royal family, according to an expert.
Speaking on The Sun’s Royal Exclusive show, Phil Dampier spoke about the Duke and Duchess of Sussexes' upcoming documentaries on polo and cooking.
The royal author claimed: “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.
“So Harry not to sort of fall into the same trap, he 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.”
The streaming service described the show as "a new documentary series that follows elite global players and offers an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at the fast-paced world of the sport."
Phil pointed out that it’s “fair enough” that Prince Harry is trying new things but claims the reaction to the polo documentary hasn’t been all glowing.
He said: “The Polo one, I don't think it's gone down that well.”
The royal author added: “Everybody's apparently Netflix aren't very happy because there's hardly anything of the prince in it.”
Meanwhile Meghan is set to star in her cooking show, on the back of her launching her lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard, which has reportedly finished filming but doesn’t yet have a release date.
It’s her second project with Netflix after her 2022 reality docuseries, Harry & Meghan, which gave fans a behind-the-scenes look at their life.
Phil added: “I think we're going to see her in the kitchen knocking up some of her favourite pasta dishes or something, and pouring out some of her favourite red wine, and this, that and the other.
“Let's see how she does with that.”
Phil continued: “Whether that [Meghan’s cooking show] will work or not, I have my doubts.”
The Sun’s Royal Editor Matt Wilkinson pointed out: “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 who have who have been living on the street and that's who want to make a difference, I think the contrast is stark.”
Phil agreed: “The contrast is they’re coming across as they're trying to make money out of it and instead of doing good deeds, but that's where we are, isn't it unfortunately.”
Mixed reaction
Fans appear to be divided over the Polo trailer ahead of the show's release next month.
One penned: "Never thought I'd be excited to see a polo documentary."
"I've never had interest in polo until now, I'll try every effort to watch this," wrote another.
"I'm so excited," shared a third.
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But someone else added: "I made it though 40 seconds of the trailer and got bored. No thanks."
Another said: "It's cheap reality rubbish that no one cares about, especially when people are facing such hardships."
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