Prince Harry, the youngest son of British King Charles III, is passionate about polo. So when he was offered the opportunity to make a film about the sport, he gladly accepted. The filming took place as part of a $100 million deal that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry signed with Netflix after stepping down from their royal duties.
The documentary provides an inside look into the lives of professional polo players. “The film offers viewers an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes glimpse at the passion and determination of some famous polo players, revealing the harsh reality behind the glamour. We’re proud to showcase the true depth and spirit of the sport, as well as the tension of situations where the stakes are high,” said the prince.
The film also captures tender moments between the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Meghan congratulated Harry after another polo victory. She walked up to the stage and gave her husband a long kiss on the lips, ignoring the photographers and the large crowd. The scene was filmed in Florida in April, becoming the most intimate display of affection from the couple in public.
The couple is known for their tactile nature. Meghan and Harry always hold hands at official events and often hug each other. Meghan nearly always places her hand on her husband’s knee while posing for photographers. In August, the Dukes visited Colombia, where Harry kissed his wife on the head during a visit to the National Center for Arts in Bogotá.
The couple’s new project received a cold reception from both viewers and critics. The five-part series was rated two stars out of five on the streaming platform. Stewart Hereti of The Guardian said that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry failed to increase the popularity of the sport and certainly did not make it mainstream. “Polo seems doomed to fade into obscurity at the speed of light,” said Stewart.
Ed Power of The Telegraph noted that the couple’s presence in the project was hardly noticeable, despite the fact that they were both executive producers. Harry appeared in the opening credits and then only a few times over the course of all five episodes. “There was not enough of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to make this anything more than a dull story about chasing wealth.”
The series mostly focuses on Adolfo and Poroto Cambiaso, Louis Devale, Timmy Dutte, Nacho Figueras, Keko Magrini, and the preparation for the U.S. Open Polo Championship. Critic Joel Keller of Decider stated that polo remains an elitist sport for aristocrats and the wealthy, so it doesn’t have much of a future.
“It’s mostly a dull look at a sport that hardly interests anyone outside of elite circles. The first episode was hard to connect with because it presents a world that not only isn’t very understandable to most people but is also boring. But if you want to learn the nuances of the game, ‘Polo’ will be interesting to you,” Joel added.
