Documentary critical of Sussexes, accuses them of using titles to rake in cash

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A German documentary is accusing Prince Harry and his wife Meghan of hypocrisy for using their royal titles to make money.

The documentary Harry: The Lost Prince, which aired in Germany on Tuesday night, quotes British royal reporters and experts about the couple’s charity work and campaigns, which is in stark contrast to their life of luxury in California.

“If you have a situation where Harry and Meghan are earning huge amounts of money in Hollywood trading off their reputations, but then they’re also bolstering their reputations by working for the queen — they’re able to present themselves on the world stage as being these working members of the royal family who are also available for a price,” Jack Royston, from the podcast The Royal Report, told Britain’s Daily Mail.

“That is a huge compromise to demand of the monarchy. If they were to be perceived to be promoting their commercial projects while representing the queen, then that’s also … starting to border on corruption there because they should never be using the monarchy as a platform.”

The program is said to contrast the couple’s visits to impoverished countries with Meghan’s love of designer fashion.

“If you’re going to places like Nigeria, like Colombia, which have huge socio-economic problems, some of the world’s poorest communities in these countries and you’re turning up wearing tens of thousands of pounds worth of designer clothes, it really doesn’t send the right message,” reporter Russel Myers said in the film.

Ulrike Grunewald, the German journalist who directed the documentary, said she was “surprised” at the ineffectiveness of the couple’s Archewell Foundation, which is a mix of for-profit and non-profit businesses.

“The amount of donations has fallen drastically in one year: From $13 million in 2021 to $2 million in 2022,” she said. “According to their own documents, Harry and Meghan only work one hour a week for the Archewell Foundation.”

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The documentary also takes a jab at Harry and Meghan for not socializing with Montecito’s wealthy residents as the southern California town is known as a celebrity enclave with home prices in the millions.

“It doesn’t come cheap,” one neighbour, Richard Mineards, said in the film. “I mean … most houses are about $8 million or $9 million.”

But he took issue with the aloof couple not being friendlier.

“I personally don’t think that Meghan is an asset to our community … She doesn’t really go out or get involved with the community” he said. “Harry has to a certain extent because he’s quite jolly … but Meghan doesn’t seem to get seen anywhere … And you don’t see him either.”