Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been criticized by members of the public for the content of the documentary series released today on Netflix, with people condemning the couple for trying to “cash in” on their fame. Book one of the six-part Harry and Meghan series, released on Thursday, caught the attention of the public and global press. Express.co.uk took to the streets asking people for their opinion on the row between the royal family and the Sussexes.
One woman told Express.co.uk: “I think they wanted to be private and then they did the opposite of that. They’re using the titles they need to make more money, and that’s just plain wrong.”
Another man said: “I have no particular affection for the royal family. I think Harry and Meghan have been treated very badly by the royal family. They are decent people and just want to get on with their lives.”
One woman echoed those comments, noting: “Obviously the issue is complicated given that Meghan is American and divorced and she is an outsider. But I think race was also a factor in how she was treated.”
She added, “But I think they took advantage of the media exposure they were given in a way that I think is a little bit inappropriate.”
The director of the Netflix docuseries The Duke and Duchess of Sussex has said she hopes viewers will be “open” to the couple’s story, regardless of their previous biases.
Liz Garbus, known for her critically acclaimed revelations and documenting the stories of “survivors,” described it as a “privilege” to work with the couple who she says “have bravely allowed themselves to be vulnerable “.
In a Netflix article released alongside the documentary, Oscar-nominated filmmaker Ms. Garbus said, “It has been a privilege to be able to work with Harry and Meghan, who have bravely allowed themselves to be vulnerable by sharing their… shared personal stories and their archive.
“I hope that when Netflix viewers press play, regardless of their bias, they’ll be open to discovering what we’ve shared in this documentary series.
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Ms. Garbus is also co-founder and co-director of the New York City-based documentary production company Story Syndicate.
Her films have been nominated for multiple awards, including the 2002 Sundance Film Festival Documentary Grand Jury Prize, a Directors Guild Of America award, and multiple Emmys.
She has also been nominated twice for an Oscar for Best Documentary – first in 1999 for Farm: Angola, USA, and most recently in 2016 for What Happened, Miss Simone? about the eventful life of the jazz singer Nina Simone.
She also directed the finale of the fourth series of the dystopian drama The Handmaid’s Tale, in which June, played by Elisabeth Moss, orchestrated the murder of her former abuser, Commander Fred Waterford.
“It was especially important to sharpen that anger and the way that survivors can confront their attackers,” Garbus said in an interview with production company Shondaland.
“How apologies can reignite trauma to the point where it becomes a redoubled sense of anger.”
The Story Syndicate website describes Garbus as “one of America’s most celebrated filmmakers, known for her documentary work as well as her groundbreaking screenwriting and television debuts.”
It states, “She is known for her driving, socially incisive storytelling across genres.”
A second volume in the Harry and Meghan series is scheduled to be released on December 15th.