Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan are facing another blow as some of their Montecito neighbors come forward to criticize the couple.
German network ZDF has aired a new documentary, “Prince Harry – The Lost Prince,” which explores the life of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in California. vanity fair The filmmakers visited the wealthy coastal city, where they spoke to local residents who claimed to live near the couple.
Multiple royal experts who watched the special told Fox News Digital that it painted a picture of the Sussexes being “isolated” as they try to find relevance in California. The couple moved to California in 2020 after stepping down as senior royals in the same year.
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“Prince Harry – The Lost Prince” aims to analyze the life of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in Montecito after their departure from the royal family. (Juancho Torres/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Kinsey Schofield, host of the To Di For Daily podcast, said: “This book is basically an encyclopedia of the worst things about Harry and Meghan over the past few years.”
“And there were definitely more lows than highs and it totally showed,” she shared. “It makes Meghan feel as lonely and isolated as rumored to be. It also makes you wonder why they're so eager to follow communities and photo shoots around the world when they're not doing anything at home.” ”
British royal expert Hilary Fordwich In the film, local residents said they claimed they tried to include the couple in their circle. However, they were met with radio silence.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attends the Paley Gala honoring Tyler Perry at the Four Seasons Hotel Beverly Wilshire in Los Angeles, California on December 4, 2024. (Michael Buckner/Variety, via Getty Images)
“In terms of the community, it was clear that this documentary was not responding to invitations to events from the local Montecito community,” Fordwich said. “So neither Harry nor Meghan are interested in the people around them.”
“A neighbor in Montecito said Prince Harry's dog and bodyguard were best friends,” she added.
Prince Harry, 40, has had a strained relationship with his family since the couple quit royal duties. At the time, the couple said the intolerable intrusions and racist attitudes of the British media led them to step down as senior royals.
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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped down as senior royals in 2020 and moved to California. (Getty Images)
The father-of-two has since detailed his rocky relationship with his family in TV interviews, a Netflix documentary series and his memoir Spare.
Duchess Meghan, 43, a former actress from California, married a British prince in 2018 and became the Duchess of Sussex.
“For me, one of the biggest revelations from this documentary was that Meghan is not very popular in her neighborhood and is not involved in the Montecito community,” Schofield said. ”[The couple’s organization] Despite Archewell constantly repeating the phrase 'community impact', Meghan is still a stranger to her community.”
“It makes Meghan feel as lonely and isolated as rumored to be. It also makes you wonder why they're so eager to follow communities and photo shoots around the world when they're not doing anything at home.” ”
A view of the gate at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's home estate in Montecito, California. (Valerie Macon/AFP via Getty Images)
Richard Miners, who claimed to live near the couple, accused them of not contributing much to the community.
“I don't think Meghan is an asset to our community,” he said. british daily mail. “She doesn't really go out or be involved in the community. Prince Harry does that to a certain extent because he's pretty cheerful… But Meghan doesn't seem to be seen anywhere… and You don’t even see him.”
Royal expert Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital that he felt the documentary painted an unfair picture of the Sussexes.
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Prince Harry walks his dog in Montecito, California. (MEGA/GC Images/Getty Images)
“The ZDF documentary…in my opinion, did an exaggerated job against Harry and Meghan and created sensational gossip about the couple,” Pelham Turner said.
“Couples… have every right to privacy if they wish,” he explained. “If residents believe the couple needs to be part of the community, perhaps those who currently criticize them publicly and privately should look to their honor and respect them to make them feel welcome.” We should take action.”
“If Harry and Meghan and their children try to socialize, they will be criticized because they are called public seekers,” he continued. “Meghan has been going through a very difficult time in recent years, especially emotionally, and she may not know who to trust,” he said.
Prince Harry's memoir, Spare, was published in January 2023. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
Director Ulrike Grünewald said: british express She said working on the film helped her understand why the royal family was concerned about the couple leaving the senior royals.
“The most damaging allegations only come from within,” she told the outlet. “Revelations that shock the royal family only come from the mouths of Prince Harry or Meghan Markle. [began] To understand the late Queen's judgment that one cannot be “half in and half out.'' ”
Grunewald also noted to the magazine that the couple is still trying to “leave a legacy” for themselves since moving to California in 2020.
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“At this point, we don't see any major accomplishments from the Archewell Foundation, which claims to be working for the betterment of local communities,” she said. “However, there are still high hopes for the couple's potential not only for the British monarchy but also for liberal society.”
Mr Schofield said the documentary also featured a former Crown Protector who accused the prince of killing 25 people in Afghanistan, who he claimed in his memoirs.
The Duke of Sussex is currently battling in court over his right to safety for himself and his family in the UK. The couple lost their right to security in 2020 and subsequently moved to California.
Prince Harry is fighting in court to restore safety to his family in his home country. (Max Manby/Indigo)
“I agree…if Prince Harry's claims for additional security are related to what he has published in his book, then he needs to take a long hard look in the mirror,” Schofield said. spoke. “His kill count is something we never asked for or wanted to know. His decision to include it in the 'spares' was poor.”
Mr Schofield said: “While I always hope that Prince Harry is safe, I also hope that he will think more about the consequences of his actions.'' “Didn't he realize that by putting that anecdote in his book he might be putting his children at risk?”
Harry has previously spoken about his combat experience. But his decision to number the people he killed and his comparison to chess pieces drew anger from the Taliban and concerns from British veterans.
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Prince Harry wrote in his memoir, Spare, that he served as a co-pilot in an Apache helicopter in Afghanistan from 2012 to 2013, killing more than 20 Taliban insurgents. (John Stilwell Poole/Tim Graham Picture Library/Getty Images)
In Britain, some veterans and military leaders said publishing numbers would violate unspoken military rules. Some believe Prince Harry's words could increase the security risk to him and to British forces around the world.
Pelham Turner said: “I don't think there is any relevance for a former protection worker to talk about Prince Harry and what happened to him in Afghanistan.” “If he's still worried about Prince Harry's safety, why did he allegedly raise this issue in the documentary? It reopens old wounds.”
Ms Fordwich said the documentary did not offer “new revelations” but claimed it contained an important message.
Meghan gave up her acting career when she married Britain's Prince Harry in 2018. (Kar-wai Tan/WireImage via Getty Images)
“Everyone interviewed confirmed what we know: that they are far removed from their public image as activists and philanthropists…The effect is that all negative images are further It will strengthen it.”
“Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan left feeling like they were in charge of their own lives and were not equipped to handle the opportunities they were presented with and the fame they had created.” said Schofield. “The Sussexes are not always the best decision-makers, so they need to find people they trust and let go of some of the control they have.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
