Prince Harry’s son, Archie, is featured in the trailer for his new documentary with Oprah Winfrey.
While it must be said at the outset that Archie is utterly adorable, the move to include Archie in the film could trigger a new round of criticism over the Sussexes’ perceived double standards when it comes to their privacy.
The trailer for Harry’s new show, which is called The Me You Can’t See, was released Monday morning.
The show itself, which is described as a multipart documentary, will hit screens via Apple TV+ on Friday.
The dropping of the official trailer was announced on Harry and Meghan’s website, Archewell, which said it “offers a glimpse into the diverse stories of mental health and emotional well-being that will be highlighted in the new documentary series.”
The show will see Harry and Oprah “join forces to guide honest discussions about mental health and emotional well-being while opening up about their personal journeys and struggles,” the website said.
It added that the docuseries would feature “high-profile guests and everyday people—including singer, songwriter, and actress Lady Gaga, Syrian refugee Fawzi, DeMar DeRozan of the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs, author and counselor Ambar, and many others—sharing their stories of living with the challenges of mental health issues and addressing their emotional well-being.”
The trailer at one stage shows a tearful Oprah saying: “It’s just something I accepted.” Oprah has previously opened up about how she was raped as a child.
There is a clear suggestion that Harry will talk in detail about his own traumatic childhood: In one clip he is shown looking emotional at the camera before it cuts to footage of him at the funeral of his mother, Princess Diana.
There will likely be some trepidation at Buckingham Palace that Harry will use the film to renew his criticisms of his father, Prince Charles.
Last week, speaking about Charles, he told a podcast: “He’s treating me the way that he was treated.” He also said: “There’s a lot of genetic pain and suffering that gets passed on anyway. As parents we should be doing the most we can to try and say, ‘You know what, that happened to me, I’m going to make sure that doesn’t happen to you.’”
It seems unlikely the new series will lead to any royal reconciliation.
In another clip, Harry appears to be on a video call when he is joined by wife Meghan, who is wearing a T-shirt with the words “Raising The Future” emblazoned on it. (The shirt is by Mère Soeur, a “U.K. lifestyle brand that empowers women and celebrates sisterhood.”)
Suggesting that the impact of the pandemic will be a key thread in the show, Harry is seen saying, “The results of this year will be felt for decades, for kids, families, husbands, wives…”
The trailer then cuts to footage of Archie on Meghan’s knee. Archie is wearing a white baby suit, and Meghan is holding a large rectangular object which looks like a kid-proofed tablet (or perhaps a baby mirror).
The inclusion of Archie in the trailer, and presumably the series itself, is likely to spark criticism of the couple for double standards when it comes to their family privacy, in much the same way that Archie’s appearance in a podcast they made for Spotify last year did.
On that occasion, Archie was heard wishing listeners, “Happy New Year.”