Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's latest venture into Hollywood, a scripted drama about rival polo teams, has the potential for success but requires the couple to relinquish creative control, according to royal commentator Kinsey Schofield.
Schofield told Page Six that the project, which teams Archewell Productions with producers Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage of Fake Empire, has the most promise of any initiative the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have teased recently. She attributed this potential not to the premise itself, but to the proven track record of Schwartz and Savage, known for successful shows such as "Gossip Girl," "The O.C.," and "Hart of Dixie."
"Harry and Meghan’s best move might actually be to surrender control," Schofield stated, advising the couple to "let Fake Empire do the heavy lifting." She emphasized that the drama, set in the affluent equestrian scene of Wellington, Florida, and exploring themes of wealth, romance, family drama, and social politics, could resonate with audiences if handled by experienced television producers. Schofield cautioned against the project becoming a personal platform for Harry or an advertisement for polo, urging them to avoid burdening it with specific messaging.
This new series marks a departure from recent projects that have struggled to gain traction. Harry and Markle's Netflix documentary "Cookie Queens" reportedly underperformed, and Markle's cooking show "With Love, Meghan" was canceled after two seasons. Their previous $20 million deal with Spotify also concluded after just one season of Markle's podcast, "Archetypes." Schofield suggested that this new scripted drama could be the mainstream entertainment hit the couple needs, potentially succeeding even if audiences are not overtly aware of their involvement.
Schwartz and Savage have built careers on creating compelling narratives around wealthy families, status, rivalry, romance, money, and scandal. Schofield believes their expertise can make the polo-centric drama "irresistible" to viewers, potentially achieving "'Gossip Girl' on horseback" and delivering the Hollywood success Harry and Meghan have sought since relocating to California in 2020. The drama was officially announced in March, with Harry and Markle serving as executive producers.