A trailer for Harry and Meghan’s new series was released by Netflix on Monday and Jacinda Ardern featured in the release dub ‘Inspirational leaders.’
The New Zealand’s Prime minister released a statement about her appearance in a new Netflix ‘docuseries’ presented by Meghan and Harry, with Jacinda insisting she was unaware of the couple’s involvement when she agreed to take part.
Live To Lead will celebrate ‘inspirational leaders’ throughout history. This includes Miss Ardern – who appeared in a trailer released on Monday and leads a country where Charles III is head of state.
The seven-part documentary was made by New Zealand-based production company Blackwell & Ruth in association with the Nelson Mandela Foundation and the Sussexes’ production company, Archewell.
While Harry and Meghan are listed as executive producers, Miss Ardern’s office released a statement in response to journalists’ questions that made it clear her involvement had nothing to do with the Duke and Duchess.
Her careful statement reads: ‘In early March 2019 the prime minister was approached by the Mandela Foundation to participate in a project to develop accessible resources on key attributes of leadership targeted at aspiring young leaders around the world, based off a one-hour interview.
‘Originally we were advised the outputs would be printed and digital books, short films and audiobooks.
‘The interview was conducted on November 8, 2019. In March 2020 a short book entitled Jacinda Ardern (I Know This to be True) was published based on the interview.
‘Other participants who also had their contributions published based on their interviews included the late US Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the feminist activist Gloria Steinem, the climate campaigner Greta Thunberg and the American basketball player Stephen Curry.
‘In March 2021 the Nelson Mandela Foundation advised the prime minister’s office they had secured an agreement with Netflix to broadcast the series of interviews, including the 2019 interview with the prime minister.
‘In May this year the prime minister’s office was notified that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would introduce the series; noting this was nearly two and a half years after the interview had been recorded and permission for its use by the Mandela Foundation had already been provided.
‘All communication throughout has been with the foundation (there has been no communications with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex regarding the project).’
Live To Lead, which will air on December 31, will star other luminaries including the late US Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
It also features environmental campaigner Greta Thunberg and feminist activist Gloria Steinem, a close friend of Meghan’s.
Harry says Nelson Mandela was the inspiration for the documentary.
Meghan and Miss Arden have a budding friendship, sparked during their New Zealand Royal tour in 2018.
Meghan was pregnant at the time of the tour and Miss Arden later spoke of how she had been impressed by her stamina.
She said that year: ‘Pregnancy is an often tiring time, but the way she gave everything her all was incredible. She’s an amazing woman and I’m so glad to have gotten to know her.’
Meanwhile, the book Finding Freedom claimed Miss Ardern sent a floral arrangement to Markle after the birth of her son Archie.
