Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will be back in the spotlight in the coming weeks thanks to a new documentary from Germany.
On 3 December, the German network ZDF will air Prince Harry - The Lost Prince, which promises to take a closer look at the couple's life in Montecito and their search for relevance following their exit from royal life in January 2020.
It has been made by award-winning Ulrike Grunewald, who travelled to California with a team to gather insights from the neighbourhood where Harry and Meghan live with their two children.
The film explores the divide in public opinion about Harry and Meghan - and the impact of their sudden exit from royal life. "The Royal Family has to deal with difficult developments and regroup after 'Megxit', the death of the Queen and Charles and Kate's cancer. What role will Harry play in the future?" ZDF has stated.
At the time they quit royal life, Harry and Meghan were criticised in many quarters of the German media. The Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper said: "Meghan and Harry's decision is an affront to tradition and the expectations of the British public," via the Daily Mail. And Die Welt newspaper said: "The withdrawal of Harry and Meghan is a slap in the face of the monarchy and its supporters."
Ahead of the documentary's release, filmmaker Ulrike told the Express that the programme will also scrutinise Meghan's evolving reputation - something that might not sit well with the Duchess.
"She [Meghan] might be embarrassed about the amount of criticism she now gets even in communities that used to back her after the decision to leave the Royal Family as a working member," she said.
Ulrike further noted that while many individuals involved with Prince Harry's Invictus Games have allegedly questioned Meghan's role and attitude, others remain hopeful about the couple's potential.
"At the moment it is hard to see any big achievement of their Archewell Foundation, which claims to work for the improvement of communities," she said. "But there are still voices who see the high potential of the couple not only for the British monarchy but also for a liberal society."
Certainly Harry's future role will come under careful examination. In the promotional material for the documentary, ZDF stated: "Even in his self-imposed exile in Montecito, California, he remains a figure of public interest. His commitment to charitable organisations - such as the Invictus Games he founded for wounded servicemen and women - always puts him in the spotlight."
However, the documentary will also touch on Harry's shift from being a beloved royal to a hugely polarising figure: "King Charles's second-born, once the Windsors' most popular royal for a time, is now a controversial figure. He has always struggled with his role as a 'reserve'."
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