"Heart of Invictus" documentary series, streaming 30 August 2023

[MrsMaxDeWinter]

The trailer for 'Heart of Invictus" has been released by Netflix, and it looks incredible, and so moving.

For those interested, please find it here.

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Harry (unfairly because of controversy) draws attention to Invictus.

I wouldn’t have watched it without Harry being associated with it because competitive sports make my eyes glaze over. I knew very little sbout Invictus other than it is seen to be a good thing that is helping veterans.

So, Harry’s imput brought me to it. But it was the veterans sharing their experiences that kept me watching through the entire series. (No glazed eyes, that’s for sure).

Like a previous poster, I usually don’t watch such gritty stuff because of its effects on my mental health. But I am glad I persisted. I’ve come away knowing more about Invictus, but also reminded of how common is the experiences of ptsd, and social anxiety and depression etc.. And it’s a reminder that there is absolutely nothing shameful about having mental health problems, but also that we all deal with it differently.

I’m grateful that Gabe and Tom snd Yuliia, Jasper and the South Korean Veteran and all the others shared their stories.

I have no opinion on this. It’s neither here nor there. My focus was elsewhere.

Come on you cannot be serious saying this. This isn't how the news works world wide 😂

@ALittleTeawithmilk

Great post. I think it is a hard, but worthwhile watch for a lot of people

No we couldn't;t, because the papers and detractors would have non stop focused on her and framed it as her stealing the spotlight again. You now full well that would of happened. I think she was treated like many of the others who were in it but not the focus due to their smaller roles. Honestly, this is a fine example of how they're criticised no matter what they do.

Thanks for this update. I exacted he would give some of his fee to it like he gave some of his book fee to Sentebale.

I am gobsmacked that H&M detractors actually want to see more of Meghan in a series that is only connected to her because of her husband? That is bizarre!

I could write the thread titles now if she were to have been there chatting to a Veterans wife or having input. She would've been annihilated.

I think some posters need to prepare for the fact that she is giving a speech at the Games, as far as I know. She introduced Harry in the Netherlands and I imagine she will be doing the same for '23..
That will be enough for me as far as threads knocking her. 😂

Welcome to public service. Only they aren’t public servants anymore and still get it. Walk into any school, hospital or police station in the country and ask what they deal with daily.

The only difference is that Harry is stuck in the storm section of readjusting to change…on both sides. You don’t like the royals people just don’t care. Roya,d don’t care either. Harry is currently a swollen festering wound. It will heal.

But then no one will care but he has mortgage and kids…so really the only thing worse for some people then having everyone talking about you is having no one talk about you.

Are you calling me a Meghan detractor?? Just goes to show words are meaningless now. Apparently I’m not enough of a fan, because if I was more of a fan I wouldn’t want to hear her say anything, so that must mean I hate her??! That doesn’t make any sense!

It was weird having an outspoken and confident woman faded in the background, slightly blurry, nodding. The editing was weird, it just was. I don’t for the life of me understand why she shouldn’t get to say something or have her words make the final edit.

There are many many outlets covering the games and for the most part they are very positive which is wonderful but of course it is only natural for them to bring up the issues that Harry has raised with all his speeches, interview, books etc over the past few years. I read an interesting article today where the author refers to this kind of programme as " broccoli TV" - it's certainly a view if somewhat cynical on this type of programme by Netflix.

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/08/30/entertainment/heart-of-invictus-review/index.html

“Like the Obamas, who have earned an Oscar and an Emmy for their output, Harry and Meghan appear to be intent on carving out a footprint in uplifting, prosocial programming, or what has in the past been referred to (derisively, at times) as “broccoli TV” – that is, productions that are ostensibly good for you, if lacking in commercial sizzle.”

“It’s easy to sound cynical about celebrities lending their names to such noble undertakings, and considerably harder to maintain that posture listening to the athletes from around the world discuss the games’ importance to them and their families, embracing its message of resilience and hope.”

“Like the athletes, for whom just competing is a victory in itself, Netflix no doubt saw dividends simply being in business with Harry and Meghan, and lavishing five hours on this material reflects that starry-eyed outlook. Yet even with that disclaimer, there are moments in “Heart of Invictus” where one has to be pretty heartless not to get a bit choked up, and it’s hard to question that its heart is in the right place.”

I think this was a great article actually.

The Invictus Foundation have said that they received significant funding due to this project so that’s good. It will be interesting to see what they do with the extra funding. I imagine they will continue to expand their services.

I won’t waste my time presuming or speculating beyond this. I’ll just wait for the facts if and when they choose to share.

It is worth noting that Harry paid for his own travel, security and accommodation etc when he was invited to speak at the ISPS Sports Values Summit in Japan. We also know he did not accept a fee for his appearance.

I agree. Fair and balanced.

I am gobsmacked that H&M detractors actually want to see more of Meghan in a series that is only connected to her because of her husband? That is bizarre!

The poster who brought up Meghan’s minimal appearances in the first place tends to be quite supportive of Meghan. I agree that it is odd though in light of the narrative about the woman being self centred that hoping for her to appear in a documentary talking to veterans spouses or otherwise having more screen time when this really doesn’t have much to do with her would absolutely do her no favours whatsoever.

PrincessTigger Nowhere have I said you hate her. Please don't twist my words like that.

When I talk of H&M detractors, I am talking in general. Only you know how you feel about her. I apologise if you feel that was directed at you solely. It wasn't

Quite. I mean they can hardly do an extra shift in Sainaburys if they're a but short of money. At least they are doing something - getting private companies to pay them for content. Who cares if Spotify, who has exploited artists for years gets stung for a bad deal they made, or Netflix has paid for content? People seem to want their ventures to all fail. Why? So they come crawling back to the Royal Family? Meghan certainly wont be welcome, so either they are hoping for a marriage to break up and either Harry to be separated from his American children or as some have ssid online for the Royals to somehow get custody of the children, so they never see their mother again ( presumably because history has shown what good parents they are ?!) I get they should stop moaning about the Royals and Harry should stop taking newspapers to court- if only for his own mental health- they will never be who he wants them to be- But a lot of the time they do nothing but the tabloids still make everything they do about them ' insulting the Royals or ' insulting Britain'.

I have never watched a good documentary and then asked myself, ‘ are the producers making any money from it, and how dare they?’ Nor have I thought, ‘if they are making money from it they really don’t care about the topic.’

I’ve certainly never asked ‘what are they doing with the money they are making?.’ I just figure, reasonably I think, that any money made is funding their lives and setting them up for their next project.

it seems that Harry and Meghan are often held to higher standards than anyone else. Their actions have to be totally pure, and purely altruistic.

I do like Meghan 😁 I don’t think she’s self-centred at all. It was a weird decision to have her in it at all if she’s just nodding in the background. I found it kind of jarring to see her but not see her?

In general I thought the editing was a bit odd, but that’s just one aspect.

Sorry if I misinterpreted I thought you meant me!

Meghan was edited out. There was controversy over her wardrobe. It was charged to Netflix, not Invictus (as some claimed) but it still generated negative comments for its extravagance.

Harry seems genuinely passionate about Invictus. The documentary and its stories should not be overshadowed by a focus on Meghan - which would be bound to happen if she were to feature more prominently.

People need to be paid for their work. Never do anything for free if you can be paid for it. Having said that that is what charities but their staff don’t work for free.

Agree… plus it’s better than Netflix making money over endless true crime shows and exploiting the dead

Netflix paid for her clothes? Do you have proof please?

@LadyMuckingabout

Trust me when I say nothing he says overshadows the series. Nothing.
Those that are reporting otherwise, well, that’s hardly surprising. I would argue that by wilfully nitpicking and choosing to ignore 99.9999999% of the series, they are the ones that are deliberately overshadowing the series and doing a disservice to the veterans.

Hundred per cent this.

Even some of the commentators who are usually critical of Harry have had to admit that the series is in fact, not about him.

This is from Jennie Bond:

Don’t believe the headlines that suggest Prince Harry’s Netflix series about the Invictus Games is, in fact, all about him. Because it isn’t. It is a powerful exploration of the mental — as well as physical — trauma that wounded servicemen and women endure after leaving military life. Harry is the lynchpin of the series not only because he founded the Games nine years ago, but because his army service made him realise that he, too, is a wounded soldier.

https://inews.co.uk/author/jennie-bond