Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to star in ‘fly-on-the-wall’ Netflix reality show

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have agreed to be tailed by cameras for three months for a behind-the-scenes Netflix reality show.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced earlier this month that they had signed a $150m (£113m) deal to produce documentaries, docuseries, feature films, scripted shows and children’s programmes for the streaming giant. And now the couple have decided to step in front of the camera as well, to “give people a glimpse into their lives”, a source told The Sun.

“It is not yet known if cameras will be allowed into their £11.5million, nine-bedroom home” in Montecito, California, says the newspaper, which points out that “the Sussexes moved to the US after moaning about alleged media intrusion”.

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But wherever the series is shot, “it will still be a fascinating insight and Meghan hopes viewers will get to see the real her”, according to the source, who said that “much of the docuseries will be about their philanthropy rather than what they get up to behind closed doors”.

As critics line up to take aim at the couple for going down the reality TV route, the insider added: “They may have had all these lofty ideas about producing epics highlighting environmental causes and the poverty gap, but Netflix obviously want their pound of flesh.”

Royal biographer and editor of Majesty magazine Ingrid Seward is among those who have criticised the couple’s “hypocritical” decision, after “we were told they had gone to California for greater privacy”.

“The more they talk about themselves, the more people will want them to do just that and won’t be interested in anything else they have to offer,” Seward said.

Meanwhile, a former government minister has accused Prince Harry of “exploiting” his royal connections in agreeing to the fly-on-the-wall series.

Ex-Liberal Democrat MP Norman Baker told ITV’s Good Morning Britain that Harry has “clearly divorced himself from the Royal Family in practical terms”.

“Let's be frank about this, Netflix wouldn't be offering a huge deal to Harry because of his interesting views,” said Baker, who served as Home Office minister in the coalition government of 2010-15.

He added: “Harry is clearly exploiting the Buckingham Palace connection and the fact is, he has to make up his mind, is he in the royal family or isn't he?”