Many critics of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been quick to point out that the Sussexes have expressed a wish for privacy in the past, then proceeded to lift the lid on their private lives for Netflix.
Although it's not quite as simple as that, this criticism feels valid to royal editor Russell Myers.
“I'm still not sure where I stand on it because, on the one hand, they have bemoaned the fact that they wanted to leave for their right to privacy and their children's privacy as well," Russell said the Pod Save the King podcast (via Express).
"And then on the other, they have taken part in a multi-million-dollar Netflix series where they have given over [everything]."
Russell added: "The genie is out the bottle now — well and truly — they’ve given them everything.
"I was astounded at the number of photographs — it was unbelievable. And I’m not talking just about the personal pictures, it's the video diaries that were taking place, professional photography, both inside and outside the Palace."
Harry & Meghan on Netflix includes a great number of photos and video footage from official royal events as well as private moments in the lives of the Sussexes and their children.
"This is a full-on window into their world," Russell said.
"The game has changed now for them. I don't think that they can just walk away from this.
"They are celebrities and they've walked away from it [the monarchy]; they don't have the protection that the Royal Family do with their private lives because they have opened the door."
With all that in mind, a representative for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex has said that their royal exit wasn't motivated by a desire for privacy.
"Their statement announcing their decision to step back mentions nothing of privacy and reiterates their desire to continue their roles and public duties," Ashley Hansen, the global press secretary for the Sussexes, told the New York Times.
"Any suggestion otherwise speaks to a key point of this series. They are choosing to share their story, on their terms, and yet the tabloid media has created an entirely untrue narrative that permeates press coverage and public opinion. The facts are right in front of them."
Still, the Sussexes have filed several privacy claims against tabloids in recent years, so protecting their privacy does seem to be a concern for them. However, they prefer to let their fans in on their lives themselves, rather than have reports of their words and actions come through a third party. Which, fair enough.
