Nelson Mandela's Granddaughter Blasts Prince Harry And Meghan Markle Over New Project

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry can't seem to catch a break. It seems that everything the couple says and does comes under fire from all angles. There's Piers Morgan's disdain for Meghan that's never-ending and very vocal, added to the media furor and outrage over Harry and Meghan's tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey. That's without even mentioning the criticism over their multi-million dollar documentary deal.

Since the offset, Meghan and Harry's slate of Netflix productions has proved problematic. Page Six reports that they were forced to make "a dramatic U-turn" and were left scrabbling to edit their first docuseries following Queen Elizabeth II's death. The show covers the couple's relationship and their tumultuous time within the royal family. A source told the news outlet that Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Harry, Duke of Sussex, were "keen to take out or downplay" a lot of the content they'd filmed following the queen's passing, originally trying to push the premiere date back from December 2022, but it eventually went forward with its original release.

Meanwhile, their latest project has been slammed by none other than Nelson Mandela's granddaughter, Ndileka Mandela. Per Netflix, "Live to Lead" is about "leaders committed to making a difference in the world." According to the New York Post, Meghan and Harry have said the docuseries was "inspired by Nelson Mandela," and Ndileka is reportedly unhappy about this. In fact, Nelson's granddaughter is blasting Prince Harry and Meghan Markle over their new production, and she's not mincing words about the Sussexes.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are discovering that the Hollywood dream can often be more of a nightmare. The life of high-flying movie producers comes with plenty of headaches, and the latest is being caused by their Netflix docuseries, "Live to Lead." Members of Nelson Mandela's family are apparently furious at the couple for linking the late South African President to the project, claiming that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are just using Nelson's name to garner attention.

In an interview with The Australian, Ndileka Mandela called the docuseries "upsetting and tedious," slamming Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Harry, Duke of Sussex, in the process. She thinks the two have "ulterior motives" and are cashing in on the legacy of her beloved grandfather. "I know the Nelson Mandela Foundation has supported the initiative, but people have stolen grandfather's quotes for years and have used his legacy because they know his name sells," Ndileka charged. "Harry and Meghan are no different from them."

Deadline reports that "Live to Lead" is about "the people whose actions shape our world." It features interviews with various motivational figures, including Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Greta Thunberg, and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. "This was inspired by Nelson Mandela, who once said, 'What counts in life is not the mere fact we have lived," Harry announces in the trailer. "It is what difference we have made to the lives of others," Meghan concludes.

It's not just Nelson Mandela's kin who shared their thoughts about the late activist's name being involved in Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's latest project, as Twitter user also had their say amid the controversy. One Twitter user pointed out Nelson was a good friend to the late Queen Elizabeth II — and Harry hasn't exactly had the nicest things to say about his family. "Harry seems to have forgotten that Nelson Mandela was a close personal friend of the queen and one of the very few allowed to call her by her first name. I do not believe did Nelson Mandela would have a favorable opinion of how Harry treated his good friend Elizabeth," they suggested. However, others made it clear they were firmly on team Harry and Meghan. "What gives Nelson Mandela's granddaughter the right (or copyright?) to criticize Harry and Meghan? Did she actually read what they said?" another Twitter user questioned.

Notably, Nelson was also a good friend to Harry's late mom, Princess Diana, and Harry even shared sweet words in July 2022 after seeing a photo of the two shaking hands taken back in 1997. "When I first looked at the photo, straight away what jumped out was the joy on my mother's face. The playfulness, cheekiness, even. Pure delight to be in communion with another soul so committed to serving humanity," he said during a trip to the United Nations in New York (via Today).