The documentary intends to examine whether the couple had achieved “freedom” and financial independence since stepping back from royal duties.

Amid reports about the alleged rift between Prince Harry and Harry Meghan, a documentary, based on the couple’s life away from the spotlight of the royal family in the UK, is set to release in Germany next month. Award-winning filmmaker Ulrike Grunewald who travelled to the Californian town of Montecito to record the couple’s experiences, said they had been leading a very ‘isolated’ life in what was a lively setting for socialising and mingling in the who’s who of America.

“Harry and Meghan have set the bar very high. They want to be global benefactors who bring about tangible change. So far, they have not lived up to this image at all,” Ms Grunewald, who has been a royal correspondent since 1987, told The Mail.

“The cultural life here is very lively but often happens in closed circles, and Harry and Meghan rarely participate. They seem to have isolated themselves a lot.”

A similar version was echoed by one of the neighbours named Richard Mineards who said the Sussexes were seldom seen in the town.

“Sometimes you see her at the farmers’ market or walking a dog, but generally, you don’t see much of her or him. It’s a shame. This is a lovely place,” Mr Mineards said.

Notably, the film intends to examine whether the couple had achieved “freedom” and financial independence since stepping back from royal duties.

“During the year that we worked on this film, a change of strategy was recognisable in Harry and Meghan. They started out as a power duo in their new life in California,” said Ms Grunewald.

Now they mainly appear separately, as they were unable to create a functioning image together. They have come down to earth. I was interested in whether Harry and Meghan’s strategies for an independent life are working. After four years, the results are very mixed,” she added.

Professional separation?

In the last week, multiple reports have claimed that the couple was exploring separate career paths, in what experts have described as ‘professional separation’. While Ms Markle is reportedly aiming to launch American Riviera Orchard next year, Mr Harry is planning the second iteration of Invictus Games in Canada. The first installment took place in Dusseldorf, Germany in 2023 and invited positive reviews. However, reports suggest that it cost German taxpayers 40 million euros (Rs 357 crore), undermining the goodwill.