File photo of Prince Harry & Meghan Markle Photo: Courtesy
Prince Harry will produce a documentary
about the Invictus Games for disabled military veterans — the first series
under a lucrative deal he and wife Meghan Markle signed with Netflix after
moving to California last year.
Harry, who served with the British military
in Afghanistan, will appear on camera and executive-produce “Heart of
Invictus,” a multi-episode series which follows competitors as they train for
next spring’s competition in The Hague.
“This series will give communities around
the world a window into the moving and uplifting stories of these competitors
on their path to the Netherlands next year,” said Harry in a statement.
The program will be the first released by
the couple’s Archewell Productions, which inked a sprawling deal with streaming
giant Netflix last September to produce “impactful” films and series.
“As Archewell Productions’ first series
with Netflix, in partnership with the Invictus Games Foundation, I couldn’t be
more excited for the journey ahead or prouder of the Invictus community for
continuously inspiring global healing, human potential and continued service,”
said Harry.
No financial terms were disclosed, but the
deal is reported to be multi-year and exclusive to Netflix.
Multiple other projects rumored to be in
development include a nature documentary series and an animated series focused
on inspiring women, although former “Suits” star Markle has no plans to return
to acting.
“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the
Archewell Productions team are building an ambitious slate that reflects the
values and causes they hold dear,” said Netflix content chief Ted Sarandos.
“From the moment I met them, it’s been
clear that the Invictus Games hold a very special place in their hearts, and I
couldn’t be happier that their first series for Netflix will showcase that for
the world in a way never seen before.”
Harry has previously appeared in
Paralympics documentary film “Rising Phoenix,” and launched the first Invictus
Games back in 2014.
The couple first went public together at
the Games’ September 2017 edition.
The Olympics-style sports event taking
place in The Hague in the Netherlands was initially scheduled for 2020 but was
twice delayed to spring 2022 because of the coronavirus pandemic.
As well as following their training, the
series will also dive into the competitors’ “powerful stories of hope and resilience.”
The couple quit the British royal family
and moved to California last year.
An explosive interview they gave to Oprah
Winfrey last month — in which they claimed an unnamed royal had asked how dark
their baby’s skin would be — plunged the monarchy into its biggest crisis since
the death of Lady Diana.
Markle and Harry also run a wide-ranging non-profit organization named Archewell.
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