Exploitation, bribery: Harry and Meghan allege royal 'dirty game' on Netflix

Social media and the press alike are talking about 'Harry & Meghan,' the new series on Netflix. The first part of this docuseries focuses on the beginning of their relationship and how the two continued their courting despite media harassment. The first part follows the media 'exploitation' and 'bribery' the couple tried to escape.

Photo: Netflix

The 8th of December saw Part One of Harry and Meghan’s new Netflix docuseries which has already created quite a stir. We take a closer look at what the six-episode series tells us and why there is so much controversy surrounding the release date of part two.

The partnership between Harry, Meghan, and Netflix began in 2020 and was dubbed Archewell Productions. The deal would see the pair create original content for the streaming giant including series, documentaries, and movies.

Harry’s first showbiz venture had its trailer released in August. A series that documents the origin of the Paralympic Games. It was his first step into showbiz after royal family life.

A source told US Weekly at the time that Harry had ‘always had a creative streak [and] Meghan’s inspired him to take it to the next level.’ With this new documentary it seems ‘creative’ has evolved into a platform to see his voice - and his truth - heard. But what will he say?

The series shows how the public adored their new princess, Meghan, when she and Harry were a new couple. Then, as the duchess gestures on camera, the change was as swift as the click of a finger.

While the series comments that "there was a war against Meghan to suit other people's agendas," the backbone of the first three episodes is clearly about racial judgement.

"It’s about hatred. It’s about race," a commentator says. There is evidence that this docuseries could be a direct firing line at those who have supposedly shunned Meghan for her race - possibly even the royal family themselves.

Harry describes the "pain and suffering of women marrying into this institution" with video flashbacks of his wife, Meghan, and late mother, Princess Diana.

In fact, more surprisingly, the flashbacks include that infamous Panorama Diana interview which many thought was buried deep in the archives. The interview at the time was a bombshell interview with the late Princess of Wales and was later revealed that it was secured through deception. Prince William vowed it would never be resurfaced. Harry has resurfaced it.

But what is perhaps the most astounding part of this release is Harry’s suggestion that the royals - or those within the royal circle - were dishonest. He says: "There's a hierarchy of the family. You know there's leaking, but there's also planting of stories."

Harry then tells the audience: "No one knows the full truth. We know the full truth." The couple is clearly about to expose it all.

But is the 'full truth' of Harry and Meghan also objectively the entire story? At the beginning of the series, even before the opening credits, it reads that members of the royal family had been approached for comment on the series but was denied. Netflix doesn't seem the royals' thing.

The Harry & Meghan Netflix ‘global event’, (the slogan the streaming giant itself has given to the series), has been given a 15 rating. They have also tagged the documentary with a ‘discrimination’ warning.

The release date for the second part of this documentary - December 15 - has also raised eyebrows, especially among those who favor the Prince and Princess of Wales. The 15th is an important day marked in the future king and queen’s agenda.

'Hello' magazine has reported that The Princess of Wales’ special Christmas carol concert will also be on that date. Despite it being aired on Christmas Eve, the filming of the concert is on the 15th. It will be attended by members of the royal family and may well indeed be rocked by the release of 'Harry & Meghan'.

The docuseries was created with director Liz Garbus, but it seems Meghan may not be 100% satisfied with the storytelling. "It's nice to be able to trust someone with our story — a seasoned director whose work I've long admired — even if it means it may not be the way we would have told it," Meghan told Variety in October 2022.

"But that's not why we're telling it. We're trusting our story to someone else, and that means it will go through their lens," the Duchess of Sussex continued.

The couple had agreed to adjust some content in the last moments before the release, Us Weekly reports, particularly content that focuses on King Charles, Harry’s father. However, the series continues to include ‘intimate details’ about Harry’s grandmother, the late Queen Elizabeth. One being Meghan's first encounter with the late Queen.

The royal family have preparing itself for a possible crisis. Marca reports that King Charles III and Prince William are in talks about how to deal with a potential backlash following revelations from the recently released episodes.

They will have to show a united front, ready to take possible racism and unfair treatment. A senior royal source told the Mirror, "If there is a need to respond to anything in the upcoming series then you can be assured that response will be swift and robust."

The source then continued to liken Harry and Meghan to the ‘Kardashians’ of the royal family. "They want all the attention they can possibly get."

The Netflix deal is reportedly worth $100 million and, in return, the Duke and Duchess have promised to "share impactful content that unlocks action."

Why did the couple decide to be followed by cameras and have their story documented? Meghan said: "When the stakes are this high, doesn’t it make more sense to hear the story from us?"
The ‘dirty game’ has just begun.