The six cringiest moments from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s new Netflix series about posh polo
It’s hard not to roll your eyes at Polo, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle‘s new Netlfix docuseries that makes for tiresome viewing.
Ahead of its release, the Duke of Sussex, who serves as an executive producer alongside Meghan, promised the series would showcase the ‘true depth and spirit of the sport’ as well as the ‘intensity of its high-stakes moments’.
Instead, the five-part docuseries – which centres around the build-up to the polo World Cup in Florida – struggles to make viewers care about most of its protagonists while reinforcing the sport’s elitist reputation.
The series mainly focuses on players such as Adolfo and Poroto Cambiaso, Timmy Dutta, Nacho Figueras and Keko Magrini – as well as controversial figure Louis Devaleix, whose passion for polo borders on hysterical.
In her one-star review of Polo, the Daily Mail’s Jane Fryers declared the series is ‘flat, plodding, and really rather boring’.
She also noted Polo couldn’t be more out of step with Harry and Meghan’s vision to create ‘content that informs but also gives hope’ as part of their $100 million deal with Netflix.
The show, which has been lampooned by critics, was also branded ‘tacky and cringey’ by one of Prince Harry’s former polo player pals, who told The Daily Beast ‘it’s hilarious but not in a good way’.
Here, FEMAIL looks at some of the most bizarre, awkward, and random moments from the sports series:
‘Big Tim’ Dutta’s ‘flower child’ monologue
The owner of Dutta Corp, Tim Dutta rebuked his son Timmy, 22, after he fumbled during a match against Louis Devaliex’s La Fe
‘We’re not creating flower childs who needs a therapist and a 1-800 number to tell him how great he is,’ Timmy’s father defended his ‘tough love’ approach
One of the teams that cameras follow in the run-up to the US Open is Dutta Corp – owned by Tim Dutta.
Dutta Corp’s star player is none other than Tim’s 22-year-old son Timmy – who said he was ‘working hard to earn the respect and recognition’ of his ‘tough love’ father during the show.
This approach manifests itself quite awkwardly within the first episode of Polo, after Timmy fumbles during a match against Louis Devaliex’s La Fe – causing Dutta Corp to crash out of the 2024 Gold Cup.
After his wife Susie Dutta rebukes ‘Big Time’ for being too harsh on their son, the Indian entrepreneur and polo patron tells the cameras ‘we’re not creating flower childs who needs a therapist’ in his confessional.
‘I’m his biggest chearleader and his biggest critic,’ he said. ‘We don’t sugarcoat each other, and he only gets the truth.
‘We’re not creating flower childs who needs a therapist and a 1-800 number to tell him how great he is.’
(3:56, episode two) In another eye-roll moment, the bespectacled patron of Dutta Corp worries that the young women in Timmy’s life will be a ‘distraction’.
‘Timmy is extremely charming and his looks are what they are,’ he said. ‘He doesn’t have to worry about girls.
‘Unfortunately, these girls take a lot of time out of you, they don’t understand that you’ve got to focus, and it’s a distraction.’
Pamela Flanagan Devaleix’s baby shower
Louis Devaliex, the controversial owner of Le Fe, also features in the sports documentary
During the second episode of Polo, Pamela’a sister and former The Bachelor contestant Kelley Flanagan organises a beautiful baby shower for her – much of which Louis misses after he bails on the party mid-way
‘The f***ing baby shower, the French-born and Brazilian-raised businessman told cameras after he left the venue
Polo focuses on the personal lives of the athletes as much as their professional ambitions.
While Louis Devaliex, the controversial owner of Le Fe, gunning for glory at the US Open, his third wife Pamela Flanagan Devaliex is gearing up for the birth of their daughter Alina Kelley.
During the second episode of Polo, her sister and former The Bachelor contestant Kelley Flanagan organises a beautiful baby shower for Pamela – much of which Louis misses after he bails on the party mid-way.
‘The f***ing baby shower, the French-born and Brazilian-raised businessman told cameras after he left the venue. ‘There’s nothing more important than…staying laser focused to try to win this tournament because the competition is just fierce.’
Prince Harry’s broken Spanish
At one point during the show, Prince Harry boasted that Meghan speaks Spanish fluently during an interaction with Argentine polo legend Alfonso Cambiaso
The former Suits actress, who can speak three languages, followed Harry’s lead and continued the rest of their conversation in Spanish
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex make a brief appearance in Polo at the beginning of episode five,when Harry plays a charity polo match for his non-profit Sentebale.
At one point during the episode, the 40-year-old royal introduces Meghan, 42, to his teammate on the Team Royal Salute Sentebale, Alfonso Cambiaso – who is widely regarded as one of the greatest polo players of all time.
While introducing Meghan to Cambiaso, Prince Harry revealed the Duchess is ‘also fluent in Spanish’.
The former Suits actress, who can speak three languages, followed Harry’s lead and continued the rest of their conversation in Spanish.
Cambiaso then pulled Prince Harry’s leg by asking him whether he can speak the language, prompting Meghan to enthusiastically reply ‘Yes!’ on her husband’s behalf.
Unfortunately, his vocabulary was woefully limited as the duke repeated ‘a little’ in Spanish.
Louis’ temper tantrum
Louis, who owns Le Fe, can be seen smashing his mallet against a tent pole and hurling his helmet to the grown after his team loses a match to Argentine legend Alfonso Cambiaso’s Valiente
The sweary, hot-headed athlete throws a tantrum in one of the show’s more dramatic moments during episode three.
Louis, who owns Le Fe, can be seen smashing his mallet against a tent pole and hurling his helmet to the grown after his team loses a match to Argentine legend Alfonso Cambiaso’s Valiente.
‘No, no, no. It can’t be,’ Louis said in Spanish, after his outburst. ‘It’s not possible that we keep losing.’
Louis’ inclusion in the docuseries has raised eyebrows after the Mail on Sunday revealed the 43-year-old has faced a slew of disturbing allegations from his two previous wives – Tracy White, also 43, and Brandance Baker, 37.
Devaleix admitted to becoming so enraged during an argument with his first wife Ms White that he smashed his fist into a door and ‘punched a hole through it’, the publication revealed.
He has also admitted to cheating on both Ms White and Ms Baker, as well as screaming and cursing at his second wife who claimed he jabbed his finger between her eyes in front of their young son. She alleged that he called her names such as s***, w***** and b****.
Meghan and Harry are passionate advocates of women’s support groups, through their Archewell Foundation, and, while there is no suggestion of serious wrongdoing by Devaleix, he did admit to anger issues, according to The Mail On Sunday’s report.
A Hollywood executive said: ‘The fact that a key figure in the show admits punching a door in a rage is quite extraordinary. These days, there is huge aversion to anything controversial.’
Keko Magrini’s anniversary dinner debacle
Keko Magrini and his showjumper girlfriend Marissa Rice became embroiled in an argument after Keko suggested cancelling their anniversary dinner
Wunderkind-turned-pro Kristos ‘Keko’ Magrini – part of the new guard – is among the athletes that make up the cast of Polo.
During the show, it is revealed the dashing Argentine player is dating showjumper Marissa Rice who, by her own admission, ‘wants a lot of attention’.
In episode four, the couple became embroiled in an argument after Keko suggested cancelling their anniversary dinner plans following his team Coca Cola’s defeat against Camiaso’s Valiente.
Keko, who wanted to go out with his teammates, told Marissa he wasn’t in the mood for a quiet night in – causing his girlfriend to become upset.
Unable to read the room, Keko later said during a confessional: ‘Time after the game, you’re still with the energy of the game, with everything.
‘And maybe, if you’re a little bit mad, it’s not a good moment.’
Meghan Markle cheering for Harry from the boot of a car
The Duchess of Sussex watching Prince Harry during a charity polo match during their Netlfix show Polo
The Duchess of Sussex looked decidedly common when she perched herself in the boot of a car to watch Harry play the charity match in the show’s final episode.
Wagging her stilleto-clad feet while pouting ever so slightly, Meghan looked on as Harry’s Royal Salute team took on Maseru – led by his friend Nacho Figueras.
