Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's latest collaboration with Netflix, the docuseries POLO, is set to debut on December 10.
Despite being produced under their multimillion-dollar deal with Netflix, the 148-second trailer does not feature the royal couple, instead spotlighting the athletes and their personal journeys.
The five-episode series offers an inside look at the world of polo, a sport with strong personal ties to Prince Harry, but the decision to spotlight players rather than the Duke has sparked mixed reactions, given his well-documented connection to Polo.
An insider revealed earlier this year that the series would primarily highlight Harry’s close friend, polo star Nacho Figueras, rather than the Prince himself.
The source remarked: “Any reasonable person tuning into a show about polo made by Prince Harry would expect Harry to take a starring role. That he’s not is hugely disappointing for Netflix. Let’s face it, polo isn’t exactly a mainstream sport so the attraction would have been watching Harry. Without him, it’s marginal at best.”
This marks the couple’s third project with Netflix since signing their high-profile deal in 2020 after stepping back from royal duties.
While their debut series Harry & Meghan became a major success and broke Netflix records upon its release in December 2022, their follow-up project, Heart of Invictus, released in August 2023, fell short of similar acclaim. Although the latter included appearances from Prince Harry and Meghan, its focus was predominantly on the athletes of the 2022 Invictus Games.
The decision to sideline Prince Harry in POLO has raised eyebrows. Another insider commented: “For a show about a sport of kings, polo barely features any royalty. It’s not the Harry show, it’s the Nacho show.”
The upcoming series comes at a critical time as the Sussexes’ Netflix deal is set to expire next year.
With pressure to deliver another hit following their initial success, the reception of POLO could play a key role in shaping their future with the streaming giant.
