'Heart of Invictus' Showed Prince Harry at His 'Very Best'

Prince Harry's first solo docuseries showed the prince as his true authentic self, while keeping focus on the important stories of wounded, sick and injured veterans, Newsweek has heard.

Harry's Heart of Invictus debuted on Wednesday, with the five-episode show following competitors on their journeys to compete in the 2022 Invictus Games, which were held in The Netherlands.

The show is Harry's first major on-screen solo project, released through the royals' multi-million-dollar content production deal with streaming giant Netflix, signed with wife Meghan Markle after the couple split from the monarchy three years ago.

The project was intended to be the first release through the Netflix and Archewell Productions (Harry and Meghan's production company) collaboration, but it was delayed, meaning the royal bombshell packed Harry & Meghan docuseries debuted before it, in December 2022.

In the weeks after the Harry & Meghan release and the publication of Harry's Spare memoir, the royal couple's popularity sank to an all-time low on either side of the Atlantic, leaving some commentators in doubt over the success of future projects.

With Heart of Invictus, though, entertainment expert and the founder of MarkMeets, Mark Boardman, said the prince has produced content highlighting his most popular qualities.

"Heart of Invictus is Harry at his very best," he told Newsweek, after its release on Wednesday. "The series provides a real insight into the horrific injuries that military personnel have sustained, both physically and mentally, over the long term. 'Invictus,' meaning unconquered, reflects Prince Harry's friendly and comfortable demeanor around those he trusts.

"This is particularly evident in episode one when he talks to his friends in California. The bond between Harry and his two pals shows that his inner circle remains grounded, despite his platform."

On how the prince comes across as a lead interview on the show while also being an executive producer, Boardman noted that the royal walked the fine line between modesty and self-promotion with confidence.

"Harry's humility in front of the camera is evident when he is asked his name; he simply says, "My name is Harry," without mentioning his titles," he said. "However, [when asked by interviewers] he does struggle to identify his role, initially describing himself as a dad before anything else."

He also noted Harry's ability to contextualize the experiences faced by Invictus Games competitors within his own experiences.

"For the prince, the Invictus Games is integral to his identity and has become his legacy," he said, going on to add: "Losing his mother, Princess Diana, at the age of 12 was a profound and life-changing experience that Harry openly struggles with. He bravely opens up [on camera] about not receiving the initial support that was crucial for starting his own healing process."

Overall, Boardman highlighted the fact that though the show was Harry's project—which notably only featured his wife and business partner, Meghan, in B-roll footage—he managed to keep its focus on the Invictus Games competitors rather than himself.

"The five-part documentary celebrates the strength of survivors, showcasing their courage, ongoing resilience, and determination on their journey with Invictus," he said.

"Harry is truly himself in the series, and it works. Although Meghan Markle, his wife, doesn't appear in the docuseries, which she could have reasonably asked for, it's still Prince Harry, nine years into this journey, who brings everything together and remains at the forefront of the emotional journey we witness. The main spotlight is on a group of extraordinary Invictus Games competitors from around the world."

Following its debut, Heart of Invictus has met with criticism as well as praise.

Harry's reflection that the media wasn't reporting on the war in Afghanistan or its impact on British soldiers was met with pushback from tabloid newspaper The Sun, which published a front page story on Thursday with the headline: "WE DID CARE HARRY...AND WE STILL DO."

The prince has also received pushback over his testimony that he "didn't have that support structure" to understand how the death of Princess Diana affected him or how to manage his emotions, which were unleashed during his time in the army.

This was seen by some as a dig at the royal family, while others, including Harry's biographer Angela Levin, claimed that the royals offered Harry support, including Prince William, who advised him to seek therapy.

Heart of Invictus is available to stream globally on Netflix now.

James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter based in London. You can find him on Twitter at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.

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