A declaration of war: How royal insiders describe Netflix trailer for Harry and ... trends now
Harry and Meghan's new Netflix documentary is being seen as a 'declaration of war' by the royals, sources said last night.
A promotional trailer, which was posted online on the second day of the Prince and Princess of Wales' high-profile visit to the US, dispelled any hopes that the Sussexes are declaring a ceasefire in their acrimonious battle with the Royal Family.
As well as including dozens of supposedly private pictures from their family album, the footage includes a voiceover from Harry saying gravely, 'no-one sees what's happening behind closed doors' over a black and white picture of his wife on an armchair, apparently crying.
The film then immediately cuts away to a shot focusing on a pinched-looking William and Kate at the 2019 Commonwealth Service in London, with the Sussexes sitting meekly behind them.
Harry and Meghan's new Netflix documentary is being seen as a 'declaration of war' by the royals, sources said last night
The message, say royal sources, is unmistakable. 'I don't see how anyone could view it as anything other than a declaration of war,' said one.
The minute-long Netflix teaser strongly suggests the Sussexes will confront rumours about their tempestuous relationships with senior royals head-on.
In a deliberately tantalising remark to a producer off-screen, Meghan says in the clip: 'When the stakes are this high, doesn't it make more sense to hear our story from us?'
Royal insiders reacted with horror and an increasing sense of anger yesterday as the trailer was released on social media ahead of the documentary being broadcast on Netflix next week as part of the Sussexes' multi-million dollar deal with the streaming giant.
There was also disappointment that it had been released to coincide with William and Kate's trip to the US, their first visit to the country since 2014, during which the prince is hosting his major environmental project, the Earthshot Prize.
While it is unlikely that the duke and duchess had much say on the trailer's release date, the glee with which their supporters and publicists were treating it spoke volumes.
As well as including dozens of supposedly private pictures from their family album, footage shows a shot focusing on a pinched-looking William and Kate at the 2019 Commonwealth Service in London, with the Sussexes sitting meekly behind them
The Sussexes' biographer, Omid Scobie, directly referred to the fact that Earthshot is so significant to William that it is being billed as his 'Super Bowl moment'. He crowed on Twitter: 'If tomorrow is Prince William's Super Bowl – then here's your half-time show.'
The trailer has coincided with a string of PR announcements by the Sussexes, including an appearance by Meghan at a women's dinner in Indiana and the announcement of a charity donation of handbags she has facilitated.
'One can only conclude this is a concerted publicity drive on their behalf to stoke up interest in this documentary and is designed to clash with the Wales' visit this week,' said another well-placed source.
'The prince and princess's high-profile trip to the States to shine a light on community projects in Boston and the environmental crisis is being apparently used as a platform for the Sussexes to create the drama and attention they so clearly crave on a personal level, as well as content for the multi-million dollar deal they have signed since quitting as working royals.
'While the Waleses will carry on with their duties, Team Sussex appears determined to remind America of their own 'compassionate activism' – one lucrative contract at a time.'
The minute-long clip was viewed more than 300,000 times within an hour of
