British royal reporters condemn Meghan and Harry docuseries before it’s aired

Advance screeners of the docuseries were not shared with any members of the press

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s highly anticipated Netflix docuseries has been condemned by British royal reporters even before its release.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s six-part series, titled Harry & Meghan, will be released in two instalments. The first three episodes are set to air on 8 December and the following three episodes will be released a week later, on 15 December.

In the lead up to the docuseries’ release, Netflix released a trailer for the project in which the couple promised to share the “full truth” about their time as senior royals and the reasons behind their decision to step down from their roles.

Per the trailer, the couple will criticise both the British royal family and the press, with the duke alleging stories were being “planted” about Meghan.

“There’s a hierarchy of the family,” he says in the clip shared by Netflix, before adding: “You know, there’s leaking, but there’s also planting of stories.”

Although Harry & Meghan has not yet been released, it hasn’t stopped British royal reporters from criticising the series and the couple.

Chris Ship, the royal editor for ITV News, was among those critiquing the docuseries, with the reporter tweeting on Monday: “If anyone was in any doubt that Harry and Meghan plan to blame his family and the press for their exit from the UK and the royal family, not anymore.”

In a follow-up tweet, Ship claimed Harry “menacingly” promised to tell his truth.

“Deep breaths everyone, the first three programmes will hit us on Thursday…” Ship added.

Richard Palmer, the royal reporter for the Daily Express, has also critised the couple’s series ahead of its release. In a tweet shared on Wednesday, Palmer shared a “reminder” that, when Harry and Meghan stepped back from their royal roles, the couple said they would “uphold the values of the then Queen,” with Palmer noting that “were were also told the Nolan Principles would be their point of reference”.

Palmer also included a link to the seven Nolan Principles, otherwise known as the Seven Principles of Public Life, which were introduced by the UK government in 1994, and “apply to anyone who works as a public office-holder”.

The seven principles include selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty, and leadership.

Palmer’s tweet, which appeared to imply the royal reporter’s belief that the couple had not followed the rules, was met with agreement from his followers.

“They certainly haven’t followed any of those principles. Are we surprised?” one person claimed.

Other royal reporters have claimed the Netflix trailer for the series is “misleading” after footage and photos of the press appearing to hound the couple were identified as being taken during events that did not pertain to the royal couple.

One image included in the trailer was taken during the couple’s visit with Archbishop Desmond Tutu in Cape Town.

However, Robert Jobson, the royal editor for the Evening Standard, noted that the photo, which shows the couple from above, was taken by an “accredited” press pool.

He says the use of the photo in the trailer is a “complete travesty”.

“This photograph used by Netflix and Harry and Meghan to suggest intrusion by the press is a complete travesty,” Jobson tweeted. “It was taken from an accredited pool at Archbishop Tutu’s residence in Cape Town. Only three people were in the accredited position. H & M agreed the position. I was there.”

The tweet prompted a reply from Palmer, who accused the couple and Netflix of using “highly misleading images to give the false impression that they were constantly stalked by British press photographers”.

“Not for the first time, the Sussexes have been found to be economical with the truth,” Palmer added.

Jack Hardwick, a show business reporter for The Sun, also criticised the couple over the trailer after spotting footage that appeared to be of reporters waiting for the arrival of TV star Katie Price outside Crawley Magistrates Court last December.

“We all know Harry and Meghan are flexible when it comes to the truth but even by their standards using footage of media waiting for Katie Price outside Crawley Magistrates Court and implying it was related to them is absolutely wild,” he tweeted.

Ahead of their Netflix series, Piers Morgan, who is known for his frequent criticisms of the duke and duchess, has also publicly condemned the couple. He described them as “whining millennial windbags with a victim complex”.

In an article published by The Sun, Morgan also claimed Harry and Meghan “wouldn’t know the truth if it slapped them round their smug little privileged chops”.

The complaints and criticism comes despite confirmation from a Netflix spokesperson to BuzzFeed that screener access for the series was not granted to any news outlet, which means members of the press have not had advance viewings of the docuseries and the details shared by the royal couple.

You can follow along with the latest updates regarding the Sussexes docuseries here.