When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped back as senior royals and announced their plans to relocate to Los Angeles, subsequently signing deals with Spotify and Netflix whilst launching their foundation Archewell, their career plan seemed… random. But speaking to Oprah Winfrey on CBS’ two-hour long tell-all interview which aired last month, Markle revealed it was just that.
Though the couple had been planning to lessen their royal duties, they still thought they could continue on as working members of the family, so hadn’t planned for how to support themselves—or protect themselves with security—before making their move.
Thankfully, Netflix and Spotify were more than happy to welcome the Sussexes into the fold, and after releasing their first podcast episode with Spotify at Christmas, now their first project with Netflix has been announced: a docuseries which will document the road to the Invictus Games.
Heart of Invictus will follow a group of competitors—who are all service members or veterans—from around the world as they prepare for next year’s Invictus Games tournament in the Netherlands. Over several episodes, viewers will join the competitors as they train and, per a statement released today, “reveal powerful stories of resilience and hope.”
The project is being helmed by British director Orlando von Einsiedel and producer Joanna Natasegara, an Oscar-winning duo who have won a number of awards for their work, including Best Documentary Short Subject for the 2016 Netflix original, The White Helmets.
Prince Harry, who founded the Invictus Games in 2014, will serve as an executive producer on the project as well as appearing on camera. “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,” he said in a statement.
“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. 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.”
The Sussexes’ deal with Netflix covers a wide variety of formats, including documentaries, scripted and unscripted TV series, and children’s content. More project announcements with Netflix are expected over the months ahead, including a nature docuseries and an animated show about inspiring women.
