Meghan and Harry tease new Netflix documentary on a group of African orphans who turned their 'hardships into joy' after gaining fame from dance videos - and fans are drawing parallels
The orphanage is home to the Masaka Kids, a dancing troupe comprising children aged two and above that has found widespread fame online.
The group's story forms the foundation for the movie titled 'Masaka Kids, A Rhythm Within' and will be part of the Sussexes' new downgraded Netflix contract that offers the streamer first rights to future film and TV projects.
However, social media users have criticised Harry and Meghan, both of whom have producer credits on the documentary, for belittling the subject in a press release from the couple's production company Archewell.
According to the joint statement released by the Sussexes and Netflix, the film 'goes beyong the viral videos to reveal a vibrant, one-of-a-kind community where orphaned children transform hardship into joy, dancing their way toward healing...and the promise of a brighter future'.
However, the synopsis was branded 'more MeMe word salad' from the Sussexes as outraged social media users said the statement appeared to 'trivialise the hardships of others for self-glorification'.
The movie's logline, some pointed out, echoes the language used by the 44-year-old Duchess of Sussex in interviews and media appearances since quitting the Royal Family and relocating to California with Prince Harry.
Others accused the couple of monetising the hardship endured by others while simultaneously drawing parallels with their own lives as the couple have frequently spoken about using overcoming challenges by creating moments of joy and celebration.
Last August, Meghan opened up about embracing a 'chapter of joy' that presumably followed her tumultuous stay in the UK as a senior Royal after marrying Prince Harry during a speech at Oprah Winfrey's book club meeting.
During her quasi-royal tour of Colombia with the Duke of Sussex around the same time, Meghan linked joy to the practice of gratitude - in an address echoing self-help guru Brene Brown - while discussing how we can continue to 'inspire and create change'.
She told the panel in Colombia: 'From my standpoint, how I will continue to express this, both through our foundation and through being able to move through the world, I suppose, is just looking at this as my chapter of joy.
'And the more that you are able to look at your life and really, truly, recognise that if you're going to be grateful for your life, you have to be grateful for all aspects of it.
'The parts that were opportunities of growth and may have felt very difficult as well as the parts that feel inspiring, joyful and full.'
Reddit users noted the short note about the documentary had left a bitter taste, as one person said: 'Yeah, let's watch a bunch of underprivileged children dance their way to healing! More MeMe word salad.'
A similar comment read: 'Watch those two try to turn hardship into a TikTok dance trend. They are not healing wounds. They are selling tickets to the spectacle. Please tell Netflix to hire crisis consultants and just STOP.
'The reality is, people paying for Netflix are not looking for Ugandan orphans. That is a program better suited for PBS.'
Another shared: 'Ugh! I wonder who wrote that patronising, puerile, ignorant, exploitive, superficial c**p. Just get some poor Ugandan kids to dance and their hardships will be transformed into joy, they will be healed, they will belong, their future will be brighter. What an utter bunch of s***.
They noted that while 'dancing can help with trauma', it cannot magically turn it 'into joy', adding: 'True to form, H & M trivialise the hardships of others for self-glorification - remember when Meg made a big deal of donating makeup to young women who had lost their homes in wildfires.'
A similar message posted on Reddit read: 'Yes, splendind, just what the world needs! Those two producing a dance therapy session for orphans - because nothing screams authenticity like orchestrated joy to distract from decades of headline chaos.
'Tragedy becoming the circus backdrop for their self-serving narrative.'
One person pointed out that the Masaka Kids and Meghan have similar online followings, adding: 'Masaka Kids has a YouTube channel with 4.1 Million subs, what exactly is Harry and Meghan bringing to the table?'
In fact, it is Meghan's Instagram follower count currently stands at 4.1 million - about 200,000 short of the Masaka Kids's 4.3 million YouTube subscribers.
Some were, however, supportive of their endeavour, with one X user writing: 'Yay, Ugandan here...nice that they are doing a documentary about those lovely kids! It will increase their visibility.'
Commenting on the optics of the docuseries from a branding perspective, expert Chad Teixeira told the Daily Mail 'the choice to be involved in Masaka Kids, A Rhythm Within aligns closely with the Sussexes' ongoing narrative of resilience, purpose, and elevating stories that might otherwise be overlooked'.
The movie's logline, some pointed out, echoes the language used by the 44-year-old Duchess of Sussex in interviews and media appearances since quitting the Royal Family and relocating to California with Prince Harry
However, he added, 'there is a clear disparity between the Sussexes' lived experiences and those of the children in Uganda's Masaka region, and this is where careful narrative framing is essential'.
Chad cautioned: 'Handled sensitively, this project reinforces their brand positioning as cultural storytellers and advocates for human resilience.
'It also strategically taps into a universal emotional thread, that joy can be a radical act in the face of hardship, without diluting the gravity of the children's reality.
'The key will be in ensuring their commentary keeps the focus firmly on the children and the community, positioning themselves as facilitators of visibility rather than co-protagonists in the narrative.'
Netflix and Archewell Productions on Monday released all the details about their new 'multi-year, first look deal for film and television projects' that experts have said is a downgrade on their earlier $100million contract.
The renewed deal was described by the Sussexes - who made the announcement with Netflix - as 'extending their creative partnership' through Archewell Productions.
However, the new terms are understood to be less lucrative for the Sussexes than their previous contract under which they released the bombshell, two-part docuseries about the hardships they endured before stepping down as senior Royals.
Netflix said Harry & Meghan, which came out in December 2022, was a huge success with a total of 23.4million views, making it the most viewed documentary ever through its first four days and reaching the English Top 10 TV list in 85 countries.
But With Love, Meghan - Meghan's recently renewed lifestyle series - failed to break into Netflix's top ten programmes - or even the top 300, as it ranked at number 383 in 2025 so far for the streaming giant with just 5.3million viewers across the globe since it was first broadcast in March.
The announcement about the new docuseries comes after a spokesperson for the Duke of Sussex confirmed he is considering starting a new African charity to rival Sentebale after he quit following a race row.
The Duke last week walked away from the charity following a damning report.
But, as exclusively revealed by the Mail on Sunday, his spokesperson has now confirmed Harry is weighing up how to carry on supporting the region.
'The duke remains absolutely committed to continuing the work he started, supporting the children and young people of Lesotho and Botswana, nearly 20 years ago,' the spokesperson said today.
'In what form that support takes - no decisions have been made.
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