Prince Harry and Meghan Markle end the year by suffering an international embarrassment as Netflix gamble goes sideways

The year is wrapping up, and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are ending it with an international faceplant, courtesy of their latest Netflix venture, Polo.

Polo was supposed to gallop into the spotlight as a sleek and stylish exploration of the sport. Instead, it appears to have stumbled straight out of the gates. You would think the couple’s names adorning the credits as executive producers would make the series unmissable. But the series failed to break Netflix’s top ten in any regional market. It’s a curious thing—how quickly the tide can turn when an ambitious gamble on high-gloss content fizzles into crickets. This is the kind of stumble that gives royal watchers secondhand embarrassment.

It’s not that the concept was doomed from the start—after all, the glossy world of elite polo practically screams drama, wealth, and questionable headwear. But Polo instead whispered, “Here’s a niche show no one asked for, made by people who didn’t really want to make it.” So, it’s not surprising that critics ripped it apart. Eric Schiffer, chair of Reputation Management Consultants, described the series as a “pompous portrayal of privilege.” A review from the Guardian was not that kind either, Stuart Heritage said the show was “a spoof without realizing it’s a spoof.” Yikes. If polo is “the sport of kings,” then this series was definitely the court jester.

Even Harry’s two-line statement, a sales pitch so dry it could be mistaken for sandpaper, failed to hype up the show.

“This series offers audiences an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes look into the passion and determination driving some of the world’s elite polo players, revealing the grit behind the glamour. We’re proud to showcase the true depth and spirit of the sport—and the intensity of its high-stakes moments.”

Should we tell him that confetti-filled balloons and people weeping over their hobby in dimly lit rooms are not exactly “passion” and edge-of-your-seat stuff? Adding salt to the wound, Polo managed to earn a dismal 27 percent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. The reviews read like a roast: “tedious” and “utterly unrelatable.” We hate to break it to the Sussexes; the drama and grit were in the reviews, and not behind the glamour of polo.

This is yet another stumble for the Sussexes’ post-royal media empire, which has been a mix of occasional hits (Harry & Meghan, anyone?) and a string of forgettable flops (Live to Lead, Heart of Invictus). The couple’s $100 million Netflix deal, now feels risky as they struggle to consistently deliver the blockbuster content that would justify the investment. Will they be able to prove that they can engage an audience?

Meanwhile, the long-rumored Meghan cooking show continues to exist solely as a dream for royalists and culinary enthusiasts. At this rate, a Sussex-led Bake Off special might have more flavor than their Netflix shows. Harry and Meghan might have imagined themselves redefining the genre, but they seem to have redefined something else entirely: the fine art of making noise without being heard. Whatever they tackle next, let’s just hope it’s better than their Spotify contract.