The Duke of Sussex will credit sport with helping bring people ‘back from the darkest places’ as he appears in a new Netflix documentary.
Prince Harry, 35, who is currently living in a $14 million mansion in Santa Barbara, stars in a new Netflix documentary Rising Phoenix, which is set to air on the platform on August 26 and shares the history and stories behind the Paralympic Games.
In a trailer for the film, the Duke says: ‘There isn’t anything else in the world that can bring you back from the darkest places like sport.’
Prince Harry follows in the footsteps of Meghan Markle, 39, with the move after the Duchess offered a voiceover for a Disney film earlier this year.
Sources revealed in January that Prince Harry and Meghan plan to make a living by providing voiceovers and producing documentaries on ‘worthy’ issues such as mental health and climate change.
The Duke of Sussex, 35, credits sport with helping bring people ‘back from the darkest places’ as he appears in a new Netflix documentary
Elsewhere in the trailer, Prince Harry adds: ‘Yes, lives are being changed on the track. But lives are also being changed on the stands.’
In the clip, the Duke can be seen wearing a relaxed green shirt and a pair of simple grey jeans and reclines on a green sofa as he speaks from within a studio space.
The sporting subject of the documentary is a passion of Prince Harry’s, with the royal setting up the Invictus Games in 2014.
The film will premiere in over 190 countries worldwide on the streaming service on August 26.
The royal is following in the footsteps of his wife Meghan Markle, 39, who offered a voiceover to a Disney documentary earlier this year
Its release was planned to coincide with Tokyo 2020 but it is now hoped it will now form an important part of the celebrations leading up to the Paralympic Games next year.
In January, Prince Harry and Meghan announced they planned to quit as senior royals, seek financial independence and move to North America.
The couple, who are breaking away from the monarchy to earn their own money in the US, have had to ditch using Sussex Royal as their brand name.
Meanwhile Prince Harry is following in his wife’s footsteps with the move, with former actress Meghan agreeing to do the narration for a Disney documentary Elephant after a direct request from filmmakers,
The Duchess signed a voiceover deal with Disney in return for a donation to an elephant charity (pictured, promoting the documentary)
The move came after the Duke of Sussex was filmed touting his wife’s voiceover skills to Disney boss Bob Iger at the UK premier of Lion King in July.
Her fee for the project went entirely to the Elephants Without Borders charity – an organisation dedicated to conserving wildlife and helps protect the animals from poaching.
Shortly after the Duke and Duchess announced their intention to step back from royal duty, a senior Netflix executive said the streaming giant would like to work with them.
Netflix’s chief content officer Ted Sarandos said at the Screen Actors Guild Awards in January that the streaming giant would like to work with Harry and Meghan, adding: ‘Who wouldn’t be interested? Yes, sure.’
The decision to work with Netflix is also a move reminiscent of former US president Barack Obama and his lawyer wife Michelle.
The duke and duchess want to follow in the footsteps of former US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle, who are currently working with Netflix on several documentaries, sources revealed
In January, sources confirmed the couple had discussed their plans with the former US president and his wife and wanted to mimic the way they had managed to build a successful, but dignified, life for themselves after the White House.
Since leaving the White House, the Obamas have earned a small fortune by selling rights to their autobiographies and setting up their own production company, which has bagged a lucrative deal with Netflix.
A source said: ‘They have found huge commercial success without actually looking like they are getting their hands dirty, to put it bluntly, and retaining their popularity.
‘In fact it is fair to say that their star has soared since leaving the White House, particularly Michelle’s, and this is something Meghan admires very, very much.’
After stepping down as senior members of the Firm in March, the couple signed with New York-based Harry Walker Agency in June, which represents the Obamas and the Clintons.
Finding Freedom co-author Omid Scobie also claimed the couple have big plans for the next few years, and are basing their working model on the Obamas.
Since leaving the White House the Obamas have begun to earn a small fortune by selling rights to their autobiographies and setting up their own production company, which has bagged a lucrative deal with Netflix
He said their plans were ‘not too dissimilar’ from what the former president created after leaving the White House and setting up Higher Ground production company.
He pointed to the Obama’s multiyear production deal with Netflix to produce films and documentaries covering topics like race, class and civil rights.
The trailer’s release comes after it emerged Prince Harry and Meghan have secretly bought a private family home in Santa Barbara, ditching Tyler Perry’s 12-bedroom Beverly Hills mansion for ‘considerable privacy.’
The couple bought the sprawling nine-bedroom and 16-bathroom mansion in upscale Montecito for $14.65million on June 18, making them neighbors with celebs Oprah Winfrey and Ellen DeGeneres.
The news that Prince Harry will appear in the documentary comes after it emerged the Duke and Duchess have snapped up a $14.7million home in Santa Barbara, California (seen above)
Harry and Meghan bought the luxury property after securing a $9.5million mortgage, it is believed, implying that they made a down-payment of more than $5million.
Reports said yesterday that Harry and Meghan purchased the home with help from Prince Charles, but a source told DailyMail.com that the couple ‘feel proud to have struck out on their own and they are saying they bought it without any help from his family.
‘They do have a mortgage, but they see this as their own place, free from relying on anyone else – a proper family home,’ the source said.
At their peak Harry and Meghan’s combined wealth had been estimated to be around $43million.