Netflix’s polo documentary is facing significant hurdles as production progresses. The chaos largely stems from the expectation that Prince Harry will be the key figure holding everything together. His role demands extensive travel across countries for interviews and interactions with polo stars.
However, Meghan Markle’s insistence on accompanying him has complicated the situation tenfold, particularly as their children will not be joining them. This added complication is making an already complex situation even more difficult.
Originally set for a November release, the documentary now seems unlikely to meet this deadline. Achieving the original timeline would require a substantial push from the production companies involved, who are already managing multiple projects, including those from Archewell Productions. Archewell itself is grappling with issues, notably the stalled cooking show.
Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos is reportedly furious, considering this partnership one of the worst deals in the company’s history. In a desperate bid to salvage the situation, plans are underway to release a teaser to gauge public interest, using content from the pilot episode.
However, it’s anticipated that the public will focus more on Meghan rather than the cooking show itself, potentially affecting Netflix subscriptions.
The entertainment industry is currently in a turbulent period, and Harry and Meghan’s timing to enter production couldn’t be worse. Only industry giants like Tyler Perry can afford to keep producing by tightening their budgets, allowing for multiple projects.
Moreover, Harry and Meghan’s network of allies has significantly dwindled over the past three years. Accepting the Pat Tillman Award has also proven to be a disastrous decision, largely driven by Serena Williams’ interests to boost her documentary’s marketing. This move has backfired, making Serena’s documentary appear as a vanity project due to her other business commitments.
Influenced by Serena, Harry made a poor judgment by accepting the award. In the coming weeks, it wouldn’t be surprising to see new pictures of their children, especially with Meghan’s birthday approaching. She will likely seek any headlines to mark the occasion.
The remaining connections to celebrities or personalities are primarily through Harry’s affiliation with BetterUp, as Meghan’s network has largely dissipated. Meghan’s influence seems to be a consistent factor in their setbacks.
Harry appears to enjoy himself more when Meghan isn’t around, a fact observed on multiple occasions. For Harry to find success, it seems he may need to distance himself from Meghan.
The polo documentary, with its already limited target audience, is at risk of becoming another Meghan-centric project, much like Invictus. Their timing has consistently been poor, with each move seemingly occurring at the worst possible moment for their objectives.
This raises the question of why Meghan doesn’t focus on her cooking show and let Harry handle his polo documentary. Completing these projects could fulfill their contract and bring in some revenue.
Yet, Harry can never undertake anything without Meghan’s involvement, while she remains content to exclude him from her ventures, as seen with Archetypes.
