Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s lucrative £80 million deal with Netflix could be “at risk” after the couple’s latest documentary flop, a PR expert has claimed.

The Duke and Duchess of Sus𝑠e𝑥 released their fourth project for the streaming giant, a five-part series about polo, titled POLO, earlier this week but the feedback for it has not been particularly favourable.

POLO follows elite global players on and off the field, with the “𝑠e𝑥y” sport billed in the trailer as showcasing “dirty, sweaty boys…riding”.

Its release date comes some 16 months after the couple’s Heart Of Invictus series, which focused on a group of service members on their road to the Invictus Games, and two years after Live to Lead, a series about leaders who have dedicated themselves to social justice and their controversial six part Harry & Meghan documentary were released in December 2022.

Now a PR and brand development expert who is critical of the couple’s partnership with Netflix, which is nearing its end in 2025, claimed that it is unlikely the streaming giant will renew their contract.

Renae Smith, founder and director of The Atticism, said Harry and Meghan’s “actual delivery [of their Netflix partnership] felt inconsistent” as, aside from their bombshell documentary in 2022, the couple failed to make any of their other projects a “stand out success”.

She told Express.co.uk: “Regarding their £80m Netflix deal, I do think its renewal could be at risk.

“While the initial buzz around the partnership was massive, the actual delivery has felt inconsistent.

“Their docuseries Harry & Meghan was a standout success, ranking in Netflix’s top 10 and generating plenty of conversation.

“However, the new polo series is a niche topic that doesn’t align well with what their wider audience expects or wants from them.”

Ms Smith added that while the Sus𝑠e𝑥es’s lucrative Netflix deal may have initially been fuelled by “their star power and the promise of unique storytelling”, their latest flop could have Netflix bosses question whether their projects could justify the costs.

The PR expert explained: “From Netflix’s perspective, they’re investing in content that drives subscriptions and global conversation, and it’s hard to argue that this latest offering achieves either.

“Harry and Meghan’s deal was initially fuelled by their star power and the promise of unique storytelling, but projects like this may not justify the cost if they can’t deliver results.”

She added: “From a PR standpoint, a show about polo seems like a misstep, especially given the narrative they’ve built around connecting with the public on more relatable issues like mental health, family struggles, and social justice. Polo is a sport that, fair or not, carries connotations of elitism. ”