Prince Harry accused of using 'personal tragedies' for money over new Netflix project

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's next Netflix project is a film adaptation of the book "Meet Me At The Lake" by Carley Fortune. One poignant scene in the novel depicts the death of the protagonist's mother from a car crash, which has led one critic to wonder if the duke purposely chose the story because it resonates with his own life.

The book talks about depression, mental health struggles, and childhood trauma, themes that coincidentally parallel with the couple's life story. The Duchess of Sussex has opened up about feeling depressed and having suicidal thoughts while pregnant with Prince Archie during the Oprah interview in 2021.

Meanwhile, the Duke of Sussex has been candid about the mental health and the childhood trauma he experienced following the death of his mother, Princess Diana from a car crash in Paris when he was only 12 years old.

In "Meet Me At The Lake," the protagonist, a 32-year-old named Fern, returns to Canada following her mother's death where she unexpectedly reunites with her long-lost love Will Baxter. The Duchess of Sussex was still filming her TV series "Suits" in Canada when she started dating Prince Harry.

PR expert Kieran Elsby told the Mirror that the Sussexes seem to be using their own past trauma for personal gain. Noting that Fortune's book "delves into deeply emotional and sensitive topics."He said, "While it's tempting to speculate that these themes align with the couple's public advocacy efforts, it's also fair to wonder if their involvement is more opportunistic than genuine."

He explained, "The presence of a plot point centred around the death of a parent in a car crash might be a convenient parallel to Harry's personal experience, but it's also a stark reminder of how they leverage personal tragedies for their own gain."

Kieran, director of Media PR Global, also pointed out that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry will be delving into "uncharted waters" with the project, as it would the first film they would produce together. They have previously only worked on docuseries including "Harry & Meghan" and "Live to Lead" and the upcoming "Heart of Invictus" documentary.

According to reports, the couple spent £3million ($3.8million) to acquire the film rights to "Meet Me At The Lake." Calling it a "staggering" amount of money, the PR expert claimed that this "raises suspicions about whether their involvement is the driving factor behind such a high valuation or if it's simply a reflection of the media frenzy that inevitably follows their every move."

Kieran likewise noted that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are stepping away from conservative territory because the book contains "steamy sex scenes" and "drug use." He said the film will be a "stark departure from the conservative image the couple once projected."

He claimed that the Sussexes are clearly trying to build a Hollywood career and that "it's becoming increasingly clear that their path is marked by calculated decisions designed to keep them in the spotlight, regardless of the potential negative repercussions on their reputation and credibility."

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have yet to confirm news that they are doing a Netflix film adaptation of "Meet Me At The Lake." But the book's publisher, Penguin Random House, has confirmed the partnership with Archewell Productions, the couple's production company. Likewise, Fortune has shared her excitement to be working on the movie with the royal couple saying she "can't imagine a more perfect partnership." In a statement she said she is "thrilled about working with Netflix and Archewell" and that she is excited to bring "Will and Fern's love story" which is dear to her heart, to the small screen.