Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, commonly known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, have long been two of the most notable and visible members of the British Royal Family, even before they stirred controversy in early 2020 upon announcing their plans to leave the royal life behind. Book deals, an Oprah Winfrey interview, and countless unofficial biographies from “close insiders” have followed in the wake of their big announcement, and all the media attention is surely going to reach new heights upon the release of the upcoming Netflix docuseries looking into the couple’s relationship.
Harry & Meghan, the aptly titled documentary series, was made with the full cooperation of the the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who will sit front and center at its story, told through interviews with the royal couple, their friends, family, and various journalists. If this is the first you’re hearing of the highly anticipated streaming event, stick around, because we’re about to break it all down.
Harry & Meghan Premieres December 8th On Netflix
There isn’t that much time to wait until Harry & Meghan premieres, as the “Netflix Global Event” will be streaming on the platform on Thursday, December 8th. In December 2022, the official Netflix Twitter account announced that Harry & Meghan would be split into two parts — Volume I on December 8th and Volume II one week later on December 15th.
Harry & Meghan Will Tell The Complete Story (Thus Far) Of The Duke And Duchess Of Sussex’s Relationship
In a post announcing the Harry & Meghan documentary series and unveiling first look images, Netflix's Tudum provided some key details regarding the upcoming streaming event. One of the biggest tidbits of information revealed was that the series will explore “the span of their relationship,” from its early beginnings through the Duke and Duchess’ decision to leave royal life behind and start anew in California not even two years after their heavily televised May 2018 wedding.
How the documentary series will tackle the way in which the Sussexes navigated the challenges and controversies during their relationship — both in and out of the Royal Family — remains to be seen, but if past interviews are any indication, it will be done directly and unflinchingly.
The Docuseries Is Split Into Six Episodes
When Netflix announced Harry & Meghan in November 2022, the streaming platform also revealed that the upcoming documentary series will consist of six episodes. The runtimes and subject matter featured in each of those six episodes have not yet been revealed, but it wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility for each chapter to focus on a different stage in the couple’s relationship. We will just have to wait and see when the documentary series makes its eventual streaming debut in the near future.
The Docuseries Will Include Interviews With The Couple’s Friends And Family
Not only will Prince Harry and Meaghan Markle be on screen throughout the duration of the six-part documentary series, Netflix has also revealed the former royal couple’s friends and family members will also be featured in the form of interviews. The announcement stopped short of revealing who exactly was interviewed for Harry & Meghan, but it is doubtful that viewers will see Harry’s Brother, William, Prince of Wales and heir to the throne pop up, aside from archival footage or old photographs.
While it doesn’t look like William, his wife Kate, or even Harry’s father, King Charles III, will sit down for an interview at any point in the upcoming streaming event, it wouldn’t that big of a stretch to think we’ll see some of the Duke and Duchess’ celebrity friends and neighbors like Jennifer Aniston or Tyler Perry, the latter of whom played host to the couple after they moved to the United States.
The Harry & Meghan Trailers Offer A Brief Yet Emotional Look Into The Former Royal Couple’s Story
In December 2022, Netflix gave the world its first glances at Harry & Meghan in the form of the quick teaser trailer which was followed up a few days later with a slightly longer video announcing the release dates for both volumes. While the first of the two trailers consisted mostly of old photographs and a few lines of voice-over, the second featured Harry and Meghan talking at length about their experiences in the Royal Family before teasing why they ultimately left.
No surprise, but both Harry & Meghan teaser trailers are incredibly emotional and revealing, with the couple appearing to not hold back about their experiences before and after their decision to leave the family in both videos. If this is an indication of things to come, this is going to be a tough yet enlightening viewing experience.
Academy Award-Nominated Documentarian Liz Garbus Directs
Presented with the monumental task of telling the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s story for the whole world to see is Liz Garbus, who has a record of success in the world of documentaries that makes her more than qualified to handle what is surely going to be one of the most-watched titles on Netflix in the near future.
If Garbus’ name doesn’t sound familiar, some of her previous releases will surely ring a bell. Throughout her career, Garbus has received multiple Academy Award nominations for documentaries like The Farm: Angola, USA, Street Fight, Killing in the Name, and What Happened, Miss Simone? Her other credits include Bobby Fisher Against the World, Love, Marilyn, and I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, which remains not only one of the best documentaries on HBO Max, but also one of the most riveting true crime shows in recent memory.
Harry & Meghan’s Premiere Was Reportedly Delayed Because Of Controversy Surrounding The Crown Season 5
In October 2022, Deadline reported that the release of Harry & Meghan had been delayed, supposedly due to backlash surrounding the then-upcoming release of The Crown Season 5, which eventually landed on service the following month.
A lot of the controversy surrounding The Crown centered around a scene early on in which Prince Charles (Dominic West) lobbies for his mother (Imelda Staunton) to abdicate the throne while speaking with Prime Minister John Major (Jonny Lee Miller), a conversation Major said was made up for the show. Following a series of similar articles, Deadline said Netflix made the decision to delay the release for the time being.
Prince Harry’s Highly Anticipated Memoir, Spare, Is Scheduled To Be Published January 10, 2023
Prince Harry’s highly anticipated memoir, Spare, is scheduled to land in bookstores and online retailers on January 10, 2023. In October 2022, Variety reported that the book, which is being published by Penguin Random House, was also originally supposed to hit shelves in 2022, but Prince Harry pressed pause following his grandmother’s death to make last-minute changes “out of sensitivity to his family.”
Harry & Meghan will be available for everyone with a Netflix subscription on Thursday, December 8th, when the first of two volumes premieres. In the meantime, don’t forget to take a look at the other 2022 shows coming out the final weeks of the year. Now is also a good time to check out the 2023 TV schedule to see what else is coming out.
