Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have received guidance on how to handle their upcoming Netflix drama, which will focus on the elite polo community in Wellington, Florida.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are co-producing the series alongside Fake Empire through their production company, Archewell Productions.
PR expert Renae Smith weighed in on the project, emphasizing that Harry and Meghan need to be transparent about the show’s message. She cautioned that trying to make an exclusive sport like polo appear “accessible to everyone” could backfire.
“Audiences are fine with seeing wealth and privilege as long as it’s presented honestly,” Smith told The Express.
She added, “The problem arises when the content tries to make something clearly elitist seem relatable. That’s where the risk lies. Polo is an exclusive sport, and presenting it as something for everyone will quickly feel out of touch.”
Smith noted that while the idea of expanding the appeal of polo may sound appealing in theory, it doesn’t match the reality of the sport. Instead of trying to make the series relatable, the focus should be on making it genuinely interesting.
Offering further advice to the California-based couple, Smith said, “I’d start by asking a more basic question: why continue focusing on this particular space, and why now? Not every brand or project needs constant output. Sometimes, taking a step back and rebuilding relevance in a different area is the wiser choice.”
