Meghan Markle wanted to make polo ‘accessible’ with her new Netflix series and take a ‘down-to-earth’ approach to the elite sport

Meghan Markle wanted to show the ‘down-to-earth side’ of polo in her vision for her new Netflix series, which was released today, the show’s producer has revealed.  

The Duchess of Sussex, 43, had hoped the latest installment of her £80million Netflix deal would make the sport ‘more accessible’, according to executive producer and showrunner Miloš Balać. 

The horse-riding activity is often known as the ‘sport of kings’ due to being beloved by the royals, including Harry himself – while the pricey hobby costs tens of thousands of pounds to play and is far from accessible to a person of average income.  

The five-episode series follows the glittering lives of polo stars as they compete in the US Open, featuring hunky athletes and their very glamorous partners. 

In the show, Meghan cut an elegant figure in a $812 (£650) dress, £2,650 Maison Valentino bag, adding pieces of jewellery worth thousands of pounds.   

Balać revealed that Meghan and Harry, who worked on the show as executive producers had a ‘clear vision’ with their latest project.

Speaking to People Magazine, he revealed that the couple were very ‘hands-on’ in wanting to achieve their ‘down-to-earth’ and ‘accessible’ approach.

He said: ‘They were wonderful. They were extremely hands-on. They really had a vision for trying to get polo to be accessible to a wider audience.

The executive producer of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s new Netflix series Polo has revealed the Duchess wanted to portray the ‘down to earth’ side of the elite sport. Harry and Meghan pictured at a polo match in April, when the series was filmed

‘I think I spoke to them before I ever went to a polo match and it was [Meghan] who really prepped me for how wonderfully casual polo can be.’

Balać, who also served as co-executive producer on Welcome To Wrexham, said Meghan wanted to emphasise the experience of polo from a spectator’s point of view.  

He added that while Sundays at polo are a ‘big do’, the rest of the week is ‘actually so down to earth’.  

The producer said: ‘They’re there not to see and be seen, but to enjoy the sport that they really care about and people show up to that for free and you just pull up and she said that that’s what she loves.’

Harry has played polo for years, but the sport comes with eye-watering costs. 

Dubbed the ‘sport of Kings’ because of its association with royalty and blue-blooded athletes and royal pedigree, polo is so pricey that players must spend a small fortune before they even step on the pitch. 

The starting kit alone, which takes in polo-playing essentials like a £500 helmet, £1,200 saddle and £600 specialist boots, costs £6,000 for a basic edition – with prices quickly rising for high-end brands. 

Then there are the costs of a club membership – which cost somewhere in the region of £1,500, on top of the £400 needed to enter a tournament. 

Meghan has put on a series of glamorous appearances at Polo matches over the years, showing off her stunning wardrobe. Pictured in May 2022

Harry has played polo for years, but the sport is far from accessible for a person earning an average salary

Prince Harry is pictured playing polo at a charity event in August 2021 

The greatest expense, of course, is the horse, which cost around £100,000 to buy and £1,200 a month to keep, and around £35,000 to transport – meaning it would be hard to transform into an ‘accessible’ sport. 

Meghan herself is said to have become a big fan of the sport due to supporting her husband at matches over the years. 

She has put on many a glamorous appearance at polo matches over the years, including in the documentary, where she wowed at a a glitzy charity polo match for his Sentebale charity. 

The former Suits actress, who was joined at the event by her close friend Serena Williams, wore a $812 (£650) dress from California designer Heidi Merrick.

The royal, who has worn the designer before, paired the pleated white sundress with a statement bow and cut out back with a £2,650 Maison Valentino bag.

The One Stud White Leather Crossbody Bag is a favourite of Meghan’s who has worn it several times before.

Despite the grassy terrain, the Duchess chose to boost her height by adding a pair of £565 Aquazzura ‘Purist 105’ Nude Nappa Leather Pumps.

Finishing off the look, Meghan fittingly accessorised with £175 Heidi Merrick ‘Santa Barbara’ sunglasses, named after the town she and Harry live with their two children. 

In 2018, Meghan channelled 50s chic in a £2,357.50 navy dress by Carolina Herrera as she supported Harry at another match for Sentebale

Prince Harry and Meghan’s latest Netflix project Polo was released today, but the Duke cuts a surprisingly low-key figure

In one scene, Harry and Meghan share a sweet kiss, but the event in Florida was already photographed back in April

The Duke, 40, appears as a side character, with the series focusing instead on his pal Nacho (pictured)

In the documentary, Meghan presents Harry with a trophy – but this minor appearance was one that has been seen before

Their blink-and-you-miss-it appearance comes at the beginning of episode five, when Harry plays a charity polo match for his non-profit Sentebale

Adding a touch of glamour to the look, Meghan opted for a pair of vintage Chanel earrings, Princess Diana’s Cartier Gold Tank Française Watch, a £7,050 Cartier ‘Love’ Yellow Gold Bracelet, and her new favourite Ariel Gordon Diamond Hex Tennis bracelet, which is thought to be a Valentines’ gift from Harry.

Showing off her natural beauty, she opted for a lowkey make-up look, with a light layer of creamy foundation, coloured in eyebrows and black mascara.  

Meghan first watched Harry play polo in May 2017 at Coworth Park in Berkshire at what was to be their first public event together. She clapped and cheered on the prince from the royal box at the charity match.

Meanwhile in May 2022, she put on a very glamorous appearance at the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club, near their mansion in Montecito, California.

Meghan, who was dressed in a wide brim hat, polka dot blouse and high-waisted trousers, placed her hands either side of her husband’s face, while he pulled her close with a hand on her back. 

She teamed her Dior Bermuda shorts with a crisp white shirt and £545 Manolo Blahnik ‘BB 105’ pumps in a cognac shade to match her £50 Lauren Ralph Lauren leather belt. 

She finished the look with a £376 clutch bag from trendy label Cult Gaia. 

In 2018, Meghan channelled 50s chic in a £2,357.50 navy dress by Carolina Herrera as she supported Harry at another match for Sentebale – and kissed during the prize presentation. 

Meghan planted a kiss on Harry after his team the Royal Salute Sentebale won the charity match featured in episode five of the docu-series 

The prince isn’t the only royal to have a love for polo. 

Queen Elizabeth II would often cheer Prince Philip on, as would Princess Diana when Charles, then Prince of Wales, played.

Biographer Andrew Morton described it as ‘a royal rite of passage’ for the female members of the Royal Family in his book Meghan: A Hollywood Princess.

Meghan watched Harry play polo in May 2017 at Coworth Park in Berkshire at what was to be their first public event together. She clapped and cheered on the prince from the royal box at the charity match.

Harry ‘is by nature very optimistic as a person and always pushing boundaries, always challenging people, and that’s how he plays polo,’ professional player Malcolm Borwick told the Express.

Although he now lives in California, the Duke of Sussex still plays polo and, in April this year, his team won a match in Miami to help raise funds for Sentebale, the charity which Harry founded in 2006.

The series goes behind the scenes of professional polo, offering an ‘unprecedented look into the players’ lives on and off the field’.  

It features Nacho Figueras, a long-time friend of Prince Harry‘s and a professional polo player and shows the ‘fierce rivalries’ and the ‘intense training’ that those competing in the US Open Polo Championship go through. 

In their first Netflix documentary, Harry and Meghan were able to say what they wanted and the prince took full advantage by delivering a slew of devastating and damaging ‘truth bombs’

The Netflix documentary is thought to have further damaged Harry’s relationship with his family. Pictured with William in July 2021 

At one point, Nacho says of his friend: ‘Harry wanted to win at all costs, and I was the same way.’ 

Speaking to People Magazine previously, Harry said: ‘This series offers audiences an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes look into the passion and determination driving some of the world’s elite polo players, revealing the grit behind the glamor.

‘We’re proud to showcase the true depth and spirit of the sport — and the intensity of its high-stakes moments.’

The series by Archewell Productions was first teased in April when it emerged that Harry and Meghan have two nonfiction series’ in production with Netflix. The other show will focus on Meghan’s love of ‘cooking, gardening and friendship’.

Both are part of the couple’s £80million, multi-year deal with the streaming platform that they signed four years ago.

It comes after the release of Harry & Meghan on Netflix in 2022, which covered their relationship and their decision to step back from the Royal Family. It became Netflix’s top-performing documentary series in just one week.

Other works which are a part of their deal include Live to Lead, a docu-series released on New Year’s Eve 2022, the Heart Of Invictus which released last year, and an adaption of Meet Me at the Lake, the rights for which the couple reportedly paid $3.8 million.