Now, let's unpack this royal rollercoaster. Prince Harry's much-anticipated solo show, "Heart of Invictus," was supposed to be his triumphant entry into the world of streaming. It was meant to be an inspiring story about wounded veterans, a tribute to their resilience and courage.
But here's the twist: it failed to make it into Netflix's top ten lists in either Britain or America. Ouch! On the flip side, Meghan Markle, the former star of "Suits," rode to Netflix's rescue. Her former TV legal drama, "Suits," which Netflix recently acquired, has been dominating the US streaming charts for seven consecutive weeks. Can you believe it?
Seven weeks! It's attracting a massive new audience, with viewers devouring a staggering 3.2 billion minutes of it in the latest ratings week.
But hold on, there's more drama to unfold. Prince Harry's "Heart of Invictus" has faced criticism from Newsweek magazine for failing to capture the audience's hearts. It hasn't even cracked the top ten streaming charts on Netflix in America or Britain since its release. Ouch, once again!
And here's the kicker: Prince Harry hasn't just faced disappointment in viewership; he's also faced backlash for taking fresh jabs at the Royal Family in the docuseries. He's openly claimed that no one supported him as his life "unraveled" after returning from active service in Afghanistan. It's a narrative that's raising eyebrows, and not in a good way.
Newsweek magazine goes as far as to say that the lack of interest in "Heart of Invictus" "echoes the failure of Harry and Meghan’s second TV project titled 'Live to Lead.'" Remember that one? It followed their highly successful series, "Harry and Meghan," but it fell flat, despite featuring interviews with global female leaders such as Gloria Steinem, Greta Thunberg, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
A senior Hollywood production source puts it succinctly: "Their mixed fortunes on Netflix should tell them what viewers do and do not want to watch – and, unfortunately, Harry’s new show falls into the latter category, no matter how worthy and admirable the subject matter might be."
