Harry & Meghan may spur royal creative involvement in doc-making

Netflix’s tentpole Harry & Meghan could lead to royals taking a more hands-on role in their documentaries, according to a royal doc specialist.

The six-part series, which landed in a three-episode drop last week (8 December), has polarised audiences with its intimate access to the royal couple.

Nick Bullen, chief exec of Spun Gold – the indie behind Inside The Crown: Secrets Of The Royals and Prince Harry’s Story: Four Royal Weddings – anticipated that Harry & Meghan could result in the family becoming more involved in their films earlier on in the creative process.

“When the royal family make documentaries, they are primarily to promote a cause they are involved with,” he said. “They are not about promoting their own stories or personal lives. You’re not going to see senior royals sharing intimate, private images and video any time soon.

“That’s not to say that there aren’t subtle changes in the way the royals are approaching making documentaries and these will continue with the change in monarch - whether that’s taking a much more active interest in a film, from the early discussions about casting or the shape of the documentary or looking at new ways to reach and engage with younger audiences for example.”

What is clear is that the documentary has been a smash for Netflix.

The opener engrossed 2.4m viewers, according to overnight ratings data, making it the most-watched Netflix show since Barb began capturing its viewing data last month. The first three episodes drew a combined audience of 4.7m, with expectations that the second tranche, launching on 15 December, will have similar popularity.

While some have criticised the doc for its misleading use of clips in the trailers – complaints which forced Ofcom to state that it does not have regulatory jurisdiction over Netflix – the greatest impact will be felt in the US.

“Far more Americans will have access to watch this series on Netflix than the more traditional documentaries made by the BBC, ITV or Channel 4, which have to adhere to stricter Ofcom guidelines,” Gregor Angus, chief executive of royal programming-focused streamer True Royalty TV said.

He also predicted the doc would usher in renewed international interest in royal programming surrounding the claims made by The Sussexes.

“What we’ve found is that whenever there is heightened interest in the royals, viewers want to find out more, or find out the truth about what really happened. We see a huge spike in interest for historical documentaries on True Royalty. For example, our most popular recent shows have been about Princess Margaret – driven by her portrayal in The Crown.”