The royals are seeing Harry and Meghan’s upcoming Netflix documentary as a “declaration of war,” insiders said last night.
Any thoughts that the Sussexes and the Royal Family would declare a truce after the release of a promotional video on the second day of the Prince and Princess of Wales’ high-profile tour to the US.
The video contains a voiceover from Harry stating solemnly, “No one sees what’s occurring behind closed doors” over a black and white image of his wife sitting on an armchair and seemingly sobbing. The video also shows a number of ostensibly private photos from their family album.
The movie then abruptly turns to a scene of a pinched-looking Kate and William attending the 2019 Commonwealth Service in London, with the Sussexes seated submissively behind them.
According to royal insiders, the message is clear as day. One said, “I don’t see how anybody could take that as anything other than a declaration of war.”
Another person said that the palace staff had taken note of the trailer’s release time and added, “None of this is a surprise.”
The one-minute Netflix trailer makes a compelling case that the Sussexes will deal directly with rumors of their turbulent ties with senior royals.
In the video, Meghan makes a purposefully provocative statement to a producer off-camera, asking: “When the stakes are this high, doesn’t it make more sense to hear our story from us?”
As the teaser for the documentary, which will be shown on Netflix as part of the Sussexes’ multi-million dollar arrangement with the streaming behemoth, was made public yesterday, royal insiders reacted with shock and a growing feeling of rage.
The fact that William and Kate’s journey to the US, their first since 2014, during which the prince is hosting his significant environmental initiative, the Earthshot Prize, caused dissatisfaction was another factor.
Although it is doubtful that the duke and duchess had any influence over when the trailer would be released, the joy with which their fans and publicists received it said it all.
Omid Scobie, the biographer of the Sussexes, made specific mention of the fact that William holds Earthshot in such high regard that it has been dubbed his “Super Bowl moment.” If tomorrow is Prince William’s Super Bowl, then here is your half-time show, he gloated on Twitter.
Additionally, this has occurred before. The teaser for a documentary about the Sussexes’ journey to Africa was aired by ITV in 2019 when William and Kate were on tour in Pakistan.
The Netflix series just uses the couple’s first names, “Harry & Meghan,” which has sparked considerable discussion about the couple’s similarities to the iconic reality family the Kardashians in royal circles.
It’s difficult to avoid drawing comparisons, one insider said sarcastically.
The reality television show about the Kardashians captures practically every minute of their life, good, terrible, and ugly.
Despite Meghan and Harry’s frequent requests for seclusion over the years, a royal source said that the clip suggests they are ready to do the same.
The release of the teaser also coincides with a number of public relations announcements made by the Sussexes, including Meghan’s attendance at a women’s luncheon in Indiana and the disclosure of a handbag gift to charity that she helped arrange.
Another reliable source said, “One can only assume that this is a planned PR push on their part to generate interest in this documentary and is intended to conflict with the Wales’ visit this week.”
The prince and princess’s well-publicized visit to the United States to raise awareness of environmental issues and community projects in Boston is reportedly being used as a platform for the Sussexes to generate the personal drama and attention they so obviously crave as well as material for the lucrative contract they have signed since giving up their roles as working royals.
Team Sussex seems ready to remind America of their own “compassionate activism” – one lucrative contract at a time – while the Waleses continue with their responsibilities.
Over 300,000 people watched the one-minute film in the first hour after it was posted to Netflix’s Twitter account yesterday.
With a depressing music, it includes a variety of personal and public images documenting every aspect of Harry and Meghan’s life, from conception to motherhood.
Snapshots of the Sussexes’ life together are shown in the pictures, which also show them laughing and hugging in a selfie while wearing casual clothing, Meghan’s pregnancy, and Harry playing an acoustic guitar for his wife.
On the evening of their last engagement as royals in 2020, when they attended a memorial gathering at the Royal Albert Hall, there is a glimpse of the Sussexes in their kitchen at Frogmore Cottage.
It shows Harry kissing Meghan on their island apartment as Harry is dressed casually in braces and has taken off his army jacket.
It seems like it was captured by a skilled photographer. Even while they were working for the royal family, the pair, according to sources, often engaged their own photographer, Chris Allerton.
Another contentious decision is the image of the estranged Sussexes and Cambridges, as they were at the time, seated one row apart during the 2019 Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey.
The Fab Four, as they were called, were already in trouble at the moment, and measures to dissolve their combined home and charitable foundation were being taken.
One source remarked: “It’s as if someone combed the Earth for the one unpleasant image of the Princess of Wales in existence.” Meghan seemed to be looking longingly into the distance, while Kate appeared to be scowling at the camera.
The implications implied by the picture are believed to have “sickened” William and Kate’s friends.
Others noted that during an interview with Variety Magazine in October, Meghan looked to have “got her explanations in beforehand.” She praised the documentary’s director, Liz Garbus, in the article, saying, “Even if it may not be how we would have portrayed the tale, it’s good to be able to trust someone with our narrative.”
According to one insider, it was a “classic deflection,” and they wanted it to be “genuine” since “she’s already stating it wouldn’t have been her decision to do it this way.” Nobody is duped.
Another teaser clip has Harry saying, “I had to do all I could to protect my family,” over a collection of images showing printing machines, newspapers being folded, and banks of photographers.
This is seen as a signal that the 38-year-old prince would resume criticizing the media.
During the second day of their US visit, the Prince and Princess of Wales also had a sweet reminder of home when they were met by an eight-year-old child who was dressed as a member of the King’s Guard.
According to reports, the show will premiere on December 8—exactly three months after Harry’s grandmother, Queen Elizabeth—passed away.
The show “explores the covert days of their early courting and the struggles that drove them to feel compelled to pull back from their full-time responsibilities at the institution,” according to Netflix.
According to Netflix, it includes comments from friends and relatives, the majority of whom have never previously spoken publicly about what they saw, as well as historians who talk on the current status of the British Commonwealth and the Royal Family’s relationship with the media.
The series “paints a picture of our world and how we treat one other,” it continues. “The series does more than explain one couple’s love story.”
Last night, neither Kensington Palace nor Buckingham Palace would comment.
According to royal insiders, the Prince and Princess of Wales had not yet seen the teaser when it was released and were resolved “not to be sidetracked by other things this week.”
During their visit to the US, they want to meet communities and locals all across Boston, according to the sources.
As soon as the royal couple visited Boston, people there were in awe. When Kate approached her, one especially moved admirer started crying. She then took the Princess’ hand and thanked her for “everything she has done.”
»Insiders calls the Harry and Meghan documentary teaser declaration of war«