Netflix's latest offering, *Polo*, promised to be a glamorous, behind-the-scenes look at the world of high-stakes polo, showcasing the adrenaline-filled lives of elite players as they compete in the US Open Polo Championship in Wellington, Florida. With Prince Harry and Meghan Markle credited as executive producers, many expected the project to have a regal polish. However, instead of acclaim, the series has garnered widespread criticism, mockery, and embarrassment for the Sussexes.
Set to premiere globally on December 10th, *Polo* was meant to highlight the thrill and intensity of the sport. But when the trailer dropped, it sparked a storm of negative reactions. Polo players, like natural figueras, can be seen in the trailer delivering lines such as, "Imagine going on a horse at 35 mph with someone coming at you full speed." While this was intended to sound thrilling, viewers on social media were unimpressed. Instead of appreciating the drama, they were left cringing at what felt like an overhyped and poorly executed presentation. One particularly memorable comment referred to Polo as "a sexy sport," with "dirty sweaty boys riding" — an attempt to spice things up that was met with ridicule. “Hard pass,” said one user, capturing the collective sentiment.
However, the harshest criticism was aimed squarely at Prince Harry. According to a blind item from *Sedon*, his acting performance in *Polo* was so catastrophically bad that most of his scenes were reportedly cut from the final version. If you recall his cringeworthy juggling cameo in Meghan’s birthday video or his overly rehearsed reaction to Beyoncé’s text, apparently *Polo* offered more of the same — only worse. "I didn’t think anyone could be worse at acting than Meghan, but Harry proved me wrong," one critic commented. Then there’s Harry’s infamous Jelly Roll commercial, which critics have mercilessly mocked as evidence of his lack of onscreen charisma. One social media user quipped, “If his acting is anything like the Jelly Roll ad, no wonder it was cut.”
Even within the polo community, reactions have been less than kind. One source called the trailer “hilarious,” but not in a good way, while another dismissed it as "tacky" and "cringey" — a sentiment echoed by numerous viewers online. Ironically, a series that was supposed to elevate the image of polo has instead leaned into stereotypes of privilege and excess. While polo is actually becoming more inclusive, the series paints it as a sport for rich, glamorous elites. “So much for bridging the divide between the Royals and the rest of us,” one insider remarked.
Of course, no Sussex-related project is complete without Meghan Markle being drawn into the mix. Viewers have speculated that Meghan’s role in the series was likely pared down, with some snarkily suggesting that she would inevitably find a way to creep into any available camera frame, reminiscent of *Pretty Woman*. Others gleefully wondered whether Meghan’s scenes were cut due to her apparent love of the spotlight.
It’s also worth questioning how much of the backlash is actually about the series itself, and how much stems from public fatigue with the Sussexes. One frustrated viewer summed it up: “Every day they hog the headlines so they can read about themselves... It’s cheap reality rubbish that no one cares about.”
What was meant to be a polished exploration of the world of polo has instead become fodder for ridicule. Between Harry's alleged acting debacle and the overall cringe factor of the trailer, it’s safe to say that *Polo* has missed its mark. The Sussexes' involvement, rather than lending credibility, seems to have turned the project into a laughingstock.
