Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made a cameo appearance in their new Netflix project – with the Duke of Sussex showing off his polo skills in the latest episode.
The documentary, produced by the Sussexes, follows the ‘high stakes, high glamour’ world of polo.
Harry, 40, finally appears in the final episode of the series during the Sentebale Polo Challenge at the Grand Champions Polo Club in Wellington, Florida.
Meghan, who was joined at the event by her close friend Serena Williams, put on a sensationally stylish display in an $812 (£650) dress by Californian designer Heidi Merrick at the Royal Salute Polo Challenge.
The royal, which the designer has worn before, paired the flowing white summer dress with a statement bow and cut-out back with a Maison Valentino bag worth £2,650.
The One Stud White Leather Crossbody Bag is a favorite of Meghan, who has worn it several times.
After the match, the couple enjoyed a celebratory kiss, with Meghan presenting Harry with the trophy as they packed on the PDA for the Netflix crew.
The tournament is played between three teams in a round-robin format and helps raise money for the charity’s work with children and young people in Lesotho and Botswana.
Harry looked excited to be back in the saddle and was grinning from ear to ear as he warmed up for the race
Determined Harry was supported by Meghan, 43, who sat in a car boot in a glamorous white dress and watched the game with tennis legend Serena Williams from the sidelines.
Harry, dressed in blue, was part of the victorious Royal Salute Sentebale Team alongside Adolfo Cambiaso, Dana Barnes and Malcolm Borwick.
Harry and Meghan pulled up to the swanky venue around 4:30pm local time, with a film crew in tow capturing their every move.
The cameras continued to roll as they stepped out of their white SUV and were led to the clubhouse by excited staff as the Duke prepared for the charity match.
The dapper Duke appeared moments later on a terrace where he chatted with guests and posed for group photos.
‘He looked like a real networker: he shook hands and smiled for photos. He seemed in his element,” said an onlooker.
At one point, Serena and Harry enjoyed a warm hug as the prince checked out the action outside the match and hugged each other like old friends – they had grown close in the years since the Duke and Duchess started dating.
The Duchess cheers for her husband after he scores a goal
The Duke captains one of three teams taking part in the competition, which raises money for his charity Sentebale
Much of the five-part documentary focuses on the duke’s friend: little-known Argentine player Nacho Figueras.
In one episode, the Argentine polo player and model told the cameras: ‘Prince Harry was not relaxing and he wanted to win at all costs, and I was the same’.
The new Netflix series was released after it was reported that bosses at the streaming company were disappointed with Harry and Meghan’s limited screen time in it.
A source told MailOnline that Netflix – which signed an $80 million deal with the couple’s Archewell Productions – expected ‘more bang for the buck’.
The new series, in which Harry and Meghan are barely visible, has been nicknamed ‘the Nacho show’ behind the scenes because it mainly focuses on the Argentine player.
Harry and Meghan signed a five-year deal for several shows in 2020, but a Hollywood producer told MailOnline: ‘What Netflix has received for it doesn’t look great. People want personal things.
‘Aside from their documentary series, which had the drama of them leaving the royal family, everything else they’ve produced has been disappointing.
After the match, which Harry and his teammates won, the Duchess presented her husband with a trophy
The Duke of Sussex beamed from ear to ear as the pair prepared for a kiss in front of waiting photographers and the Netflix camera crew.
He added: ‘Any reasonable person tuning into a show about polo created by Prince Harry would expect Harry to play a leading role.
“The fact that he is not is extremely disappointing for Netflix.
‘Let’s face it, polo isn’t exactly a mainstream sport, so watching Harry would have been the draw.
“Without him it’s marginal at best.
‘The Netflix deal expires next year, so the Sussexes need a big hit. This sounds like a big nothingburger.’
Another insider said: ‘For a show about a sport that is king, polo has hardly any royalties.
“It’s not the Harry show, it’s the Nacho show.”
Figueras, 47, has been dubbed ‘the David Beckham of polo’, but a source said: ‘Nice of Harry to please his mate, but Nacho speaks poor English and is simply not mainstream enough to get into the ratings. to fetch.’
Meghan Markle today congratulated her husband Prince Harry with a passionate kiss after he won a charity polo match in Miami today
The Duchess of Sussex braved the grassy grounds in a pair of sky-high nude heels that put her at serious risk of sinking into the ground beneath her
Meghan was joined at the event by her good friend, tennis legend Serena Williams
The two women mingled with the guests while Serena enjoyed a glass of champagne
Worse still, according to branding expert Hayley Knight, is that this style of showing, which some social media users are describing as ‘reality TV gold’, could impact the image the Sussexes are trying to portray.
She told FEMAIL: ‘Prince Harry’s new documentary series on polo being described as ‘reality TV gold’ will be a blow to the Sussexes.
‘While the exclusivity and prestige of the sport aligns with their carefully curated brand, the series being judged in this way undermines their wider efforts to be taken more seriously.’
Hayley added: ‘They’ve worked hard to tell a story around philanthropy, mental health and authentic storytelling, and this review goes against all of that.
“Polo is close to Harry’s heart, and I imagine they wanted to create something rooted in their personal value and heritage.
‘The series now runs the risk of shifting these values and making a mockery of the sport they hold dear.
“This is clearly a passion project for Harry, but it raises questions about whether the documentary has been made in a way that portrays this and the brand he and Meghan are trying to build.”