Prince Harry and Meghan Markle faced embarrassment as their Netflix series, documenting their courtship, marriage, and departure from the royal family, was overshadowed by a long-running children's show.
Released in December 2022, their documentary garnered 62 million hours of viewership in the first half of the year. In contrast, the first two seasons of the children's cartoon Peppa Pig accumulated over 140 million hours. Netflix, criticized for transparency, revealed that an American action thriller, "The Night Agent," outperformed the royal couple's documentary with 812 million hours watched in three months.
Despite Netflix's assertion that success is measured beyond hours viewed, royal expert Neil Shaw suggested that negative media coverage, especially after Omid Scobie's book, has led to concerns at Netflix.
The Sussexes, feeling the anti-Harry and Meghan sentiment, are reportedly keen to return to the UK and plan a reconciliation strategy. Despite a strained relationship with King Charles due to recent controversies, the couple intends to reach out to the royal family during the Christmas season.
The royal dynamics have faced strain, with Prince Harry allegedly not speaking to his brother, Prince William, for over a year. However, their recent call to King Charles on his 75th birthday, where the children participated joyfully, suggests an effort towards reconciliation.
As the rest of the royal family gathers at Sandringham for Christmas, excluding Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, there is speculation about the desire for a better relationship, especially with King Charles, who made no mention of his younger son and daughter-in-law in his annual Christmas speech.
