Prince Harry and Meghan's Netflix documentary 'postponed' until next year

A documentary series about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex has been delayed by Netflix until next year.

According to Deadline, the fly-on-the-wall-style program has been pushed back due to bad press surrounding Season 5 of The Crown.

In addition, Prince Harry and Meghan were rumoured to have approached the streaming giant, asking for a delay after the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September.

READ MORE: The Crown criticised for recreating Diana's final days in new season

Netflix had been wanting to air the documentary off the back of The Crown, which premieres on November 9, to capitalise on the drama's success.

But it appears the platform has had a change of heart.

It's believed plans to show the documentary so soon after The Crown would be a mistake.

"They're rattled at Netflix, and they blinked first and decided to postpone the documentary," a source told Deadline.

The fifth season of the hit drama is facing increasing criticism over its dramatisation of the royal family, with plot lines verging far from fact and into pure fantasy.

Many critics have called the show's return so soon after the death of the Queen insensitive and distasteful, while many of the imagined conversations featured have angered those still alive.

Just days ago, former British prime minister Sir John Major said made-up conversations between him and the late Queen were "damaging and malicious fiction".

The Queen Mother's official biographer labelled the show "odious" and "deliberately hurtful".

READ MORE: Prince Harry has 'every right to tell his story in a book'

Prince Harry and Meghan's docu-series is produced by Netflix and Archewell Productions but a release date was never given, nor was a title.

Now, Netflix has told Deadline "there's never been any documentary from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex confirmed".

Cameras had been following the couple for more than a year, covering their charitable events including visits to New York and the Netherlands for the Invictus Games.

Scenes were also reportedly filmed at their home in Montecito, California.

READ MORE: Everything we know about the coronation of King Charles

Prince Harry's tell-all book, widely expected to be released by the end of the year, has also been pushed back with suggestions it might not come out until mid-2023.

However, royal author Tina Brown speculated the memoir "won't see the light of day", speculating King Charles would "have to pay back the advance to stop Harry writing this book".

Last week, Page Six reported bosses at Netflix had been left confused by some of the comments made by the royal couple in the documentary and what Prince Harry has said in his tell-all book.

"A lot in the show contradicted what Harry has written, so that was an issue," an industry source told Page Six.

"Then Harry and Meghan made significant requests [to filmmakers] to walk back content they themselves have provided, for their own project."

Prince Harry and Meghan were rumoured to have sought the delay to allow them to make edits following the death of the Queen.

They are said to have wanted to remove comments they had made on camera about King Charles III, Camilla the Queen Consort and the Prince and Princess of Wales.

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