Prince Harry Documentary Series Review

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Prince Harry Documentary series hits the mark for anyone who is into the game

Prince Harry Documentary

IN recent weeks since the release of Prince Harry’s documentary series on the sport of polo he and his wife, Meghan Markle have been nearly vilified for their efforts in producing an inside look at the sport itself, without all the bells and whistles surrounding the glitz and glam.

As the Polo Correspondent for Pynck.com and formerly with the venerable Irish Field and the current communications manager for Europe’s oldest polo club (the debate was finally settled with Malta), the only disappointment here was that it took well into the second episode of the series before the penny dropped: this documentary was about polo; the play and players, the blood, sweat and tears that go into it, the team rivalries, the injuries that are sometimes truly catastrophic, life-changing and destructive; it was all there. It was told through one man’s perspective, a player and teammate who just happens to be Prince Harry.

Polo Party

As the reviews have landed since the release of Polo it has been saddening to see so many sour grapes in their making. All sports, be it competitive cycling, sailing, cricket and even rugby among them bear a certain inherent expense to do well, compete successfully and have the best tools at hand that money can buy. To put it into perspective for the uninitiated, Irish cricket received just under €3 million in government funding a few years ago; in 151 years since the founding of Irish polo, there has been zip, nil, nada – nothing for what was an Olympic sport until 1936.

The sport of polo requires skill and practise, practise, practise

Polo isn’t a new game by any stretch, and the Duke of Sussex is most likely aware of that; it’s literally been through the wars. It’s even older in Argentina, the country of its modern-day origin: not so much in the World Cup of Polo played annually outside Buenos Aires, but on farms and estancias up and down the country; and even further back more than 3,000 years to China and what is now Iran.

The depiction of the sport in this particular docuseries is not the problem. Instead it boils down best to the Mail Online’s assessment that Prince Harry was expected to take a starring role with his wife by his side, and people wanting the personal stuff. The people didn’t get it on so many levels that this docuseries was the story of one man’s look at what it takes to produce a champion team or else fail in the effort – at least until next season when it all begins anew.

Image credits: Pinterest, Kim Mullahey


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Kim Mullahey

Kim Mullahey is Pynck.com’s Ireland Correspondent. She holds an honours undergraduate degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Chicago and has taught Adult Education Creative Writing Studies. Through a media career spanning nearly 25 years Kim has written and photographed regional news, national and international horse sports, fashion and lifestyle. Kim lives with her husband and son in Kildare Ireland, and a stray marmalade cat who has adopted the family.

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