Meghan & Harry’s Netflix teaser was ‘deliberate attempt to piggyback off Kate’s cancer news’, expert claims
A TEASER for Harry and Meghan’s new Netflix programme was purposefully released just after Kate’s cancer news, a royal expert claims.
The promotional post for the couple’s new programme POLO, which follows players of the elite sport, dropped just hours after the Princess of Wales‘ update that she had finished chemotherapy.
POLO was first advertised on Netflix’s X account on Monday – shortly after Kensington Palace shared a heartfelt video of Prince William and Kate in Norfolk playing with kids George, Charlotte and Louis.
In an emotional three-minute watch, the Princess of Wales said that she had finished her chemotherapy journey and was “doing what I can to stay cancer free”.
Hours later, Netflix’s account on social media site X posted promotional material for POLO, from Archewell Productions and Boardwalk Pictures, which premiers in December.
Royal expert Ingrid Seward told The Sun that the timing was “very strange”.
She said: “The reason I feel this is a little coincidental is because every time the Prince and Princess of Wales do a video or put something out, it seems to be counteracted by something coming from California.”
She added: “The Kate video landed yesterday and… now this POLO promo has landed.
“So it just cannot be coincidental, because it happens just too often.”
She said the decision to release the promotional pictures was likely Netflix’s – not Meghan and Harry’s.
Ms Seward said: “I suspect that it’s a Netflix decision, because they obviously saw the global effect that Kate’s video had yesterday and decided, ‘let’s go – let’s go with the video promo or the promo for POLO, now.’
“I mean, it would only be Netflix that could make such a quick decision.”
Netflix shared pictures from the upcoming series, promoting it for the first time.
The streaming giant’s X account wrote: “POLO is 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.
“From Archewell Productions and Boardwalk Pictures. Premiering this December.”
It comes after mum-of-three Kate Middleton said her family “had to find a way to navigate the stormy waters and road unknown” in a touching video update.
In Monday’s poignant clip, Kate said she is “looking forward to being back at work“.
PIERS MORGAN: Just minutes after Kate’s moving cancer update, spoiled brats Harry & Meghan plug their new show
Comment by Piers Morgan, Columnist for The Sun
The gap was only 100 minutes, but it might as well have been 100 light years.
At 4.29pm on Monday afternoon, the Prince and Princess of Wales released a stunningly powerful three-minute film about Kate’s ongoing battle with cancer.
And at 6.09pm, Netflix released a promo for a new documentary series about Polo made by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
Of course, it may just have been a stupendous coincidence but if you believe that, then then I’ve got some very dodgy old Ford Cortinas to sell you.
One thing is indisputable, and it’s that the separate announcements perfectly encapsulated the very different lives of these two couples now.
One, featuring the heir to the throne and his health-stricken wife, was an extraordinarily moving, humble, and profoundly inspiring insight into what it’s like to have a life-threatening illness when you have a loving young family, regardless of wealth or status.
The other, featuring two spoiled brat renegades who ditched royal duty and service for a life of self-enriching Hollywood glitz and glamour, was a nauseatingly ill-timed self-promotional plug for a series about a sport so elite only millionaires can play it.
Regardless of whether Meghan and Harry deliberately rushed out their promo to try to spoil Kate and William’s big announcement, or just to capitalise on the megaton-sized global attention it instantly received, it landed like a plop of unwanted pigeon poop on a pavement.
All Tuesday’s newspaper front pages, from England and Australia to America and India, were dominated by images from the Wales’s film, with barely a cursory side mention to the Sussex’s bejewelled-horse-and-mallet grift.
I can only begin to imagine the indignant shrieks of hand-wringing rage that emanated from a certain mansion in Montecito, California when the Sussexes realised their latest money-grabbing venture had once again been eclipsed by their sworn sibling and sister-in-law enemies at Kensington Palace.
But enough of those clowns. They’ve made their sleazy royal-fleecing beds and can lie in them.
Read Piers’ full column here.
The Princess of Wales is set to appear at some engagements in the coming months, including charity events that are close to her heart, it is understood.
She is also expected to support doting husband Wills in his public appearances, such as at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday.
In the heartfelt video, Kate also spoke of her relief as she lay her head on William’s shoulder.
The Waleses can be seen enjoying a picnic and playing games with the Middletons in the Norfolk-filmed clip.
Since her shock cancer diagnosis in March, Kate stepped out of the spotlight so she could fully recover.
She said she initially had no signs of cancer but post-op tests showed the disease had been “present”.
A palace spokesperson confirmed she started a course of preventative chemotherapy in late February.
As she began “making good progress”, the princess was strong enough to briefly return to public duties and stand with the rest of her family at Trooping the Colour in June.
And in July she was welcomed with a standing ovation at the men’s Wimbledon final, where she appeared with daughter Princess Charlotte.
It remains unclear what type of cancer Kate was battling.
What is Harry and Meghan's new doc POLO?
PRINCE Harry and Meghan Markle’s new Netflix doc has been teased ahead of it airing in December.
Produced by their company Archewell Productions, alongside Boardwalk Pictures, POLO takes a peak inside the life of the elite.
Polo, which has for years been seen as a sport for the rich, involves players on horseback using a mallet to push a wooden ball across a field and into the goal post.
The new series will give the world access into the sport from behind-the-scenes, it is said.
Sharing the teaser on X/Twitter on Monday, Netflix said: “POLO is 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.
“From Archewell Productions and Boardwalk Pictures. Premiering this December.”