Facebook
X
LinkdIn
Copy Link
A trailer was released this week for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s new Netflix documentary series, Live to Lead, which is inspired by Nelson Mandela.
The seven-part series will discuss social and climate change, and feature interviews with world leaders. Harry and Meghan are billed as executive producers and are likely to make an appearance.
In the trailer, among the likes of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Greta Thunberg, is New Zealand’s prime minister, Jacinda Ardern. In a brief clip she says: “As leaders, we have the keys to create a sense of security and a sense of hope.” She is then shown embracing an activist.
However, Jacinda Ardern had no idea she would be featuring in the series until the moment the trailer dropped. A day later the prime minister’s office issued a statement saying her involvement in the series on “effective leadership” had no connection with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
In addition to being awkwardly blindsided, the trailer nearly caused a minor constitutional glitch. Ardern, a sitting prime minister, might be misconstrued as sympathetic toward the independent prince against his father King Charles, New Zealand’s head of state.
Ardern’s office confirmed the footage was taken from a November 2019 interview for an earlier project inspired by the legacy of Nelson Mandela. The office said it was “notified that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would introduce the series” in May this year — “nearly two and a half years after the interview had been recorded and permission for its use by the Nelson Mandela Foundation had already been provided.”
Ardern said she had “not stayed close” to these communications and “so I became aware of what was happening with it yesterday,” alluding to the release of the trailer.
“In early March 2019 the prime minister was approached by the Nelson Mandela Foundation to participate in a project to develop accessible resources on key attributes of leadership targeted at aspiring young leaders around the world, based off a one-hour interview,” a spokesman said.
Had Ardern been given greater clarity, she would likely have turned down any involvement in the Meghan and Harry project, so as to seem impartial amid the wider Windsor tensions.
The prime minister’s apparent blindsiding is awkward because the duke and duchess have built a friendship with Ardern following the couple’s royal tour of New Zealand in 2018.
During that visit, Ardern presented Prince Harry with possibly the most Kiwi gift imaginable — a CD by local drum and bass outfit Shapeshifter, explaining, “[This is] because it includes a track titled ‘Dutchies,’ which is the song that the All Blacks enter onto the field with, including at Twickenham.”
At the time of the tour, Meghan was pregnant, and Ardern later spoke of how impressed she was with the duchess’s stamina. “Pregnancy is an often tiring time but the way she gave everything her all was incredible,” the PM said. “She’s an amazing woman and I’m so glad to have gotten to know her.”
In mid-2019, the Sussexes shared a video on Instagram featuring Jacinda Ardern, to highlight an upcoming issue of British Vogue Meghan had edited. The issue featured Ardern as one of the women selected by the Duchess of Sussex as a “Force for Change.”
The duchess had worked “to create an issue of inclusivity and inspiration, focusing on what connects us rather than what divides us. Fifteen women were chosen for the cover including New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern, who generously lent her time to support the duchess in this important issue. The women first met last autumn during Their Royal Highness’ official tour of New Zealand,” the post read.
[bnaner]
Despite the goodwill from this established relationship, and semi-regular contact with Harry and Meghan, the prime minister has never spoken with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex about their latest Netflix vehicle, and had no idea she would be participating in it when she recorded her interview for the project.
Beyond this, the situation is an awkward one because Ardern manages an easy rapport and has an affinity for the younger royals (the Prince and Princess of Wales included) who, in a general sense exude vitality and reflect generational change. But Ardern balances this with an ambiguity toward the royal family as an institution. In fact, Ardern happens to be a republican. “I’ve been very clear that despite being a republican, I’m not of the view that in the here-and-now in my term of office, that this is something New Zealanders feel particularly strongly about”’ Ardern said. Either way, it seems like Ardern won’t be looking forward to the release of Live to Lead on December 31.
This article was originally published on The Spectator’s UK website.
