"This (teaser) video alone, released as William and Kate set foot in the United States, is enough to send chills down the spines of all active members of the royal family," longtime royal biographer (opens in new tab) Christopher Andersen told "Marie Claire exclusively." Along with new accusations of racism within the royal family, the upcoming documentary clearly constitutes a one-two gut-punch to the new king." (When we spoke to Andersen, the trailer had not yet been released, but it is a one-two-three gut punch.)
Royal expert and founder of To Di for Daily, Kinsey Schofield, said that Netflix has been working with the Sussexes wasn't the first time Netflix had pitched the creation of exclusive content to the Sussexes, as she tells Marie Claire exclusively: "After a rather bizarre pitch from Quibi and some positive brainstorming with Amazon, the couple decided to go big at Netflix, putting their favorite cause in the spotlight, decided to form their own brand and pay for a new pursuit in the U.S.," she says. (The couple also signed deals with Spotify, which spawned Megan's podcast Archetypes, and Penguin Random House, which published Harry's forthcoming book, Spare.) For the two, the roundtable was not new fodder: according to Scofield, Harry told Oprah that streaming was "a last resort to support his growing family." But according to Scofield, this was only half-true.
"Meghan was incredibly media savvy and studied and respected many women who had been in the entertainment business before her. It was Meghan who saw the value in creating content that would change the public perception of the two of them." Harry got on board after being told by close friends of Princess Diana that she was considering producing a documentary about her philanthropic work toward the end of her life"
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Garrett Bradley, the original director of the documentary, eventually directed Love, Marilyn in 2012 (about the late actress' writings), What Happened, Miss Simone in 2015 (about iconic singer Nina Simone), She was replaced by Liz Garbus, who directed 2020's "Excuse Me, I Love You" (an Ariana Grande concert film). Garbus ultimately brought the project to the finish line, but Megan suggested in a recent interview with Variety that she has mixed feelings about the final product. But that is not why we are telling this film. We are entrusting our story to someone else, and that means through their lens."
"From what I'm hearing, the Sussexes are a little disappointed with the final product," Scofield said. Their feedback was always welcomed, but ultimately they didn't have complete control over the creative." Netflix was really excited about the product that Liz Garbus provided. This is not meant to be critical, but I think Megan is a perfectionist and has a clear vision of how she wants her family portrayed. She doesn't have the ability to execute a project from start to finish on her own, which results in creative conflicts."
Teasers and trailers include "I had to do everything I could to protect my family" (Harry), "I realized, 'They will never protect you'" (Megan), and "Nobody knows the complete truth. We know the complete truth" (Harry) - is only two minutes of a six-part story. The tears come repeatedly. There are also accusations (from Harry) of leaks and planting stories, which Harry calls "dirty games." There are numerous cutbacks to his mother, Princess Diana, who died while being chased by paparazzi in a Paris tunnel, "I was scared. I didn't want history to repeat itself," he laments, implying that the same thing happened to his wife.
"The Sussexes feel the documentary leans too heavily on drama and victimhood. Today, Meghan wants to be seen as an opinion leader and a change agent, and she wants to let bygones be bygones. I think she also recognizes that the public wants to move on."
But first, this: "From watching the Netflix documentary, it's clear that Harry and Meghan are throwing down some major challenges," Andersen says. Even in the teaser, they're going toe-to-toe; it's amazing how much provocation they can cram into a single minute." Remember when we thought "The Crown" Season 5 was going to be the worst fall for King Charles? Now, having to manage the Hussey case and the influence of a potentially explosive documentary, King Charles' advisors are no doubt tearing out what little hair they have left," says Andersen.
According to Scofield, the couple was keen to set boundaries and were opposed to filming at home. Says she, "After all, the final project was not necessarily a love letter to their cause, nor was it the means they were looking for to set the record straight." Thankfully, Liz Garbus is truly talented, and if you're a fan of the Sussex family, you'll enjoy this documentary." Thankfully, Liz Garbus is really talented and if you are a fan of the Sussex family, you will enjoy this documentary.
Scofield says to expect celebrity cameos, laughs, and PDA (plus, apparently, Harry plays guitar): "Harry and Meghan have strategized their relationship. For Meghan, it's important that the public knows they love each other." (The couple has an underlying rebelliousness and "us against the world" attitude. ) "Despite the well-known fact that this video was taken before the Queen's death, I believe it has the potential to cause some injury."
After December 15, all the cards in the docu-series will be put on the table and where do we go from here?""Given what lies ahead, it is hard to imagine the rift between Harry and Meghan on the one hand and the rest of the Royal Family on the other healing," Andersen Andersen says. If anything, the rift will only widen. But I am confident that the Sussexes will attend the coronation in May. They are not going to be pushed out of the picture at such an important moment in history. But the hurt feelings and simmering resentment will be there, just as they were at the Queen's funeral."
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