Prince Harry has reacted swiftly to a new article in The Sunday Times.
The article, published on Sept. 6, suggested that the Duke of Sussex's new Netflix deal was behind the cancellation of a 2021 fundraising event for the Invictus Games. To be hosted in Hollywood, the fundraiser had partnered with Amazon to stream the star-studded event, which Harry and Meghan were to attend.
Prince Harry files "legal complaint" on Netflix-Invictus Games link
The Sunday Times posited that the Duke and Duchess's new affiliation with Netflix led to the cancellation of the charity fundraiser with ties to rival streamer Amazon. Prince Harry has now refuted the theory and his lawyers have contacted the newspaper. A visit to the article online also displays the note: "This article is the subject of a legal complaint from the Duke of Sussex."
People has reported, per an unnamed source, that Harry and Meghan's Netflix contract contains nothing "that stops them from working on projects at other broadcasters or streaming services," which would cast doubt on claims made by The Times.
The outlet added a statement by an Invictus Games spokesperson, clarifying why the fundraiser was cancelled. "The event was shelved because the primary revenue generator was ticket sales from a live concert in Los Angeles in the Spring of 2021. Given current global circumstances with COVID, the event needed to be reconceptualized. This was an independent decision made prior to a partnership with Netflix," the statement said.
Prince Harry's Invictus Games postponed amid COVID-19
The Spring 2021 fundraiser is the latest Invictus Games-related event to fall amid the COVID-19 pandemic, after the 2020 games in The Hague were postponed in March. The Hague will instead host the games in June 2021. Prince Harry founded the sporting event for wounded, injured, or sick armed services personnel in 2014.
Harry and Meghan's Netflix production deal was announced on Sept. 2. Since then, they've also repaid to the Sovereign Grant funds that were used to renovate Frogmore Cottage in 2019. Their Netflix content is expected to cover "scripted series, docuseries, documentaries, features and children's programming," according to the streamer.