Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's second media release through their content creation partnership with Netflix has so far failed to generate the same level of public interest or reaction as their previously released docuseries, in which they made bombshell accusations against the royal family.
Live to Lead, a series that promised to highlight the "fundamental values, daily disciplines and guiding principles that leaders employ to motivate others and create meaningful change," was released globally on December 31, with Harry and Meghan fronting the seven episodes.
Produced by Blackwell & Roth in association with the Nelson Mandela Foundation and Archewell Productions (the production arm of the Sussexes' business organization), the show consists of in-depth interviews with leading voices for world change, including Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Greta Thunberg and Bryan Stevenson.
The Sussexes joined the project after the interviews had been recorded and appear as hosts throughout the series.
In the show's trailer, Harry and Meghan explain its purpose, saying: "It's about people who have made brave choices, to fight for change and to become leaders, and giving inspiration to the rest of us. To live. To lead."
But so far the show doesn't appear to have struck a chord with viewers or reviewers.
Data published by Netflix one day after the series' release shows that it failed to make the global top 10 chart, nor did it make it onto the U.S. or U.K. regional charts. Even so, the Harry & Meghan docuseries was sitting in sixth place and spending its fourth consecutive week on the global chart.
While this may signal some cause for disappointment about the show and its goals, the chart is compiled from cumulative hours watched, so it's possible it will move up in the rankings as people watch it over time.
The New Year's Eve release date appears to have hurt the show's chances for wide publicity. In the U.K., The Daily Telegraph stood apart in publishing an extensive review of the show.
Awarding the series just two stars, pop culture writer Ed Power said those who were drawn to Harry and Meghan's previous Netflix series for its "soap opera" storyline will find themselves "underwhelmed by Live to Lead."
He attributed this partially to Harry and Meghan's short cameos at the beginning of each episode, where they introduce the key themes but with sometimes confusing dialogue. He did write that the interviews with the leaders have meaningful substance.
One of the most prominent figures is New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Following the announcement of the project under the Sussexes' banner last month, Ardern's office released a public statement distancing herself from the royal couple, saying that she gave her interview in 2019, long before they were attached to the project.
"All communication throughout has been with the [Nelson Mandela] foundation. There has been no communication with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex regarding the project," the statement said, according to the Telegraph.
Why Ardern's office felt a need to clarify this was not apparent. But fallout at the time from the controversial Harry & Meghan series could have been a factor.
Even though it hasn't had the chart success or wall-to-wall media coverage enjoyed by that series, Live to Lead appears to have made an impact on some social media users, who expressed support for its message.
"January can be a tough month as far as motivation goes. I can vouch for #LiveToLead as the remedy," writer Eleni Stefanou tweeted. "We all need stories that remind us it's possible to make a difference and that effective leadership looks very different from the image we've been sold for centuries."
January can be a tough month as far as motivation goes. I can vouch for #LiveToLead as the remedy. We all need stories that remind us it's possible to make a difference and that effective leadership looks very different from the image we've been sold for centuries pic.twitter.com/cM7QPLquGX
— Eleni (@elenistefanou) January 2, 2023
This view was shared by others, such as Lili Balfour, who wrote: "Live to Lead is a great watch as we head into a new year. CORE MESSAGES: • Confidence is a deciding factor. Believe in yourself. • When you decide you want something, go after it with everything you have. • If you see a problem in the world, fix it. #LivetoLeadNetflix"
Harry and Meghan's production company has another confirmed project in the works with Netflix, Heart of Invictus. The series will be an in-depth look at Harry's Invictus Games and inspiring stories about the sporting event's athletes. The games support the recovery of wounded, injured and sick service members.
Newsweek reached out to Netflix for comment.
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter based in London. You can find him on Twitter at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We'd love to hear from you.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
James Crawford-Smith is a Newsweek Royal Reporter, based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on the British royal family ... Read more
