Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Labeled 'Desperate' by Queen's Former Aide

A former aide to Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles thinks Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's plans to film a documentary series about their lives is a "desperate" move. Dickie Arbiter, a former press spokesman for the royals, told The Daily Mail's Palace Confidential he finds it hypocritical for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to leave the U.K. for privacy and then make a documentary. Arbiter's comments come a day after sources told Page Six that Harry and Markle are working on such a project for Netflix.

"It smacks of desperation," Arbiter told The Mail Thursday. "It's a bit rich, two people who left the U.K., walked out of the Royal Family, because they wanted privacy, they've done nothing else but put themselves up front and a week doesn't go by when there isn't some sort of statement coming out of their PR people."

The Daily Mail Diary Editor Richard Eden also believes that the royal family will be nervous about Harry and Markle's show. "The Kardashians do a reality series, the Sussexes do a docu-series. For any good fly-on-the-wall documentary, you need some tension, you need drama, otherwise, it's just boring," Eden said. "'Netflix really do want bang for their buck... What we're thinking now, will they be bringing Netflix with them for the Jubilee celebrations?"

On Wednesday, sources told Page Six that Harry and Meghan were about to start work on an "at-home with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex-style" documentary series. "The timing is still being discussed, things are up in the air," one unnamed producer said. Netflix executives reportedly want the series ready before the end of the year to tie in with Harry's upcoming memoir.

Harry and Markle signed a major deal with Netflix in 2020, but the streamer does not have much to show for it. Amid Netflix's recent subscriber loss, the company canceled an animated series Meghan was working on, leaving Heart of Invictus as the only officially-announced project left on their docket. Heart of Invictus is a documentary about Invictus Games competitors, with footage shot during the event last month in The Netherlands. There were also reportedly cameras following Markle and Harry during their trip to New York City in September 2021. "I think it's fair to say that Netflix is getting its pound of flesh," another insider told Page Six.

Harry and Markle met with Queen Elizabeth privately on their way from the U.S. to The Netherlands during a stop in the U.K. They plan to return to the U.K. in June to attend some of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations, but will not be joining senior members at the Buckingham Palace balcony during the Trooping the Colour ceremony. The trip will be the first time Harry and Meghan's daughter Lilibet, who celebrates her first birthday on June 4, will meet the queen in person. Harry and Meghan are also parents to son Archie, 3.