In the explosive second trailer for Netflix Harry & Meghan, Prince Harry says, "There's a hierarchy of the family. You know, there's leaking... but there's also planting of stories."
Whether intentionally or not, Harry and Meghan Markle's docuseries is set to heavily disrupt the business-as-usual attitude of the Royal Family in Britain, and royal expert Jonathan Sacerdoti calls the Sussexes' decision to move forward with this show an "attack" against the working royals.
For him, what we know so far about the series—which drops its first batch on Dec. 8, and its second on Dec. 15—could reflect badly on Harry, perhaps making him look like he's jealous of his brother's standing in the royal pecking order.
"It seems to me that jealousy may be behind much of this attack," Sacerdoti tells Marie Claire.
"Harry complains of the hierarchy in the Royal Family, as if he’s unique in realizing that a family where people are literally numbered in the line of succession according to their importance might have a pecking order."
In particular, Sacerdoti picks out the inclusion of photos of Prince William and Princess Kate in the two trailers released in recent days as likely to tell us what we can expect from the actual episodes.
"The trailers have both featured shots of the Princess of Wales, and it seems William and Catherine might come in for specific attack," the expert continues.
"If that is the case, it’s really quite bad for Meghan and Harry, because it makes them look spiteful and jealous. They always said they were all about compassion, but it certainly doesn’t look that way."
Sacerdoti also takes issue with the planning of this project as the late Queen's health declined. For him, "The couple have nothing to sell but controversy and drama."
For reference, in the Sussexes' Oprah interview in 2021, they revealed a series of bombshells, including an accusation of racism against the royals, and the duchess' struggle with suicidality during her time in the U.K.
Many expect that Harry & Meghan will go even further than that interview did, though nobody outside of those involved in its production knows what it contains at this stage.
