The BBC has defended its 'excessive' coverage of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Netflix series following its release earlier this week - and ahead of the second instalment. The first three episodes of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's highly-anticipated docuseries dropped on the streaming service on Thursday (December 8) with three more episodes set to follow next Thursday (December 15).
Harry and Meghan opened their lives to the cameras with filming for the controversial show starting in 2020 after they stepped back as senior royals. In September 2020, it was revealed that Meghan and Harry would be making a number of films and series, including documentaries and children's shows as part of a deal the couple signed with Netflix in the months after their bombshell royal family announcement.
And after a tense build-up, the streaming giant released the first volume of the series, entitled Harry & Meghan, on December 8, three months after Harry's grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II died. However, it was immediately confirmed at the start of the series that all interviews had been completed by August 2022, a couple of months before the monarch's death.
Episode one of six opened with words written in white on a black background which said: “This is a first-hand account of Harry & Meghan’s story, told with never before seen personal archive. All interviews were completed by August 2022. Members of the royal family declined to comment on the content within this series."
The release of 'Volume 1' of the docuseries, as expected, hit the headlines including on the BBC and following a number of complaints, the broadcast has released a statement to defend its reporting of the documentary, saying that the broadcaster's reporting has been "proportional and duly impartial."
The statement read: "The Netflix series Harry & Meghan has been widely anticipated, with speculation as to what the Duke and Duchess of Sussex may say about their experiences within the Royal Family, what this may mean for family relations and how this could affect perceptions of the Royal Family.
"Prior to the series being released, the trailers issued by Netflix were an indication of the issues which would be discussed. In this context, we broadcast clips of these trailers, which were clearly labelled, as part of our analysis. Our reporting has also reflected allegations that footage and photos used within the trailers were misleading."
The statement ended by saying: "While this may not be a story of interest to everyone, we believe our coverage has been proportionate and duly impartial, reflecting public interest."
It comes after Duke and Duchess of Sussex have released a clip about the first dance at their wedding ahead of the final three episodes of their Netflix show. Harry and Meghan can be seen discussing the moment, the song they chose and the lyrics in the 38-second clip.
Photos of the couple spinning around the dance floor are shown as the song – Land Of 1,000 Dances by Wilson Pickett – plays in the background. Other wedding snaps show Harry and Meghan with their guests, including the likes of Sir Elton John and Suits actress Abigail Spencer.
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