The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s first project with Netflix will highlight one of the Duke’s most passionate causes. Founded by Harry in 2014, the Invictus Games is the Paralympics-style competition for wounded service personnel and veterans.
Harry and his wife Meghan Markle’s Archewell Productions are creating a docuseries for Netflix on the event. The project’s working title, Heart of Invictus, will follow athletes as they prepare for the Invictus Games in The Hague, the Netherlands, now set to take place in 2022.
“Since the very first Invictus Games back in 2014, we knew that each competitor would contribute in their own exceptional way to a mosaic of resilience, determination, and resolve,” Prince Harry said in a statement on Tuesday (Apr 6). “This series will give communities around the world a window into the moving and uplifting stories of these competitors on their path to the Netherlands next year.”
He added, “As Archewell Productions’ first series with Netflix, in partnership with the Invictus Games Foundation, I couldn’t be more excited for the journey ahead or prouder of the Invictus community for continuously inspiring global healing, human potential and continued service.”
According to People, Orlando von Einsidel, an Oscar-winning British director, and Joanna Natasegara, a producer, are set to lead the project. Besides being the executive producing Heart of Invictus, Prince Harry will also appear on camera in the docuseries.
“The multi-episode series will join the competitors as they train, and along the way reveal powerful stories of resilience and hope. The series will also follow the organisers as they work to prepare for the Games, postponed until next spring, and as they partner with each nation’s team to support their competitors over the coming year,” said the project’s press release.
Last year, Meghan Markle, 39, and Prince Harry, 36, signed a multi-year deal with Netflix. Their production company is set to make documentaries, docu-series, feature films, scripted shows and children’s programming exclusively for the streaming giant.
“Our lives, both independent of each other, and as a couple have allowed us to understand the power of the human spirit: of courage, resilience, and the need for connection,” Meghan and Harry said in a statement. “Through our work with diverse communities and their environments, to shining a light on people and causes around the world, our focus will be on creating content that informs but also gives hope.”
Netflix co-CEO Reed Hastings appeared on CNBC’s Squawk Box in September and predicted that Meghan and Harry would create “some of the most exciting, most viewed content next year”./TISG