Sussexes use of Mandela legacy ‘deeply upsetting’

THE granddaughter of Nelson Mandela has criticised the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for using the former South African president’s name to pull in Netflix audiences in their latest documentary.

Social activist and writer Ndileka Mandela said she admired Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for having the courage to break away from The Firm but was left “deeply upset” by them using the leader’s legacy to fund their life in California. Speaking from Johannesburg about the couple’s seven-part Netflix documentary Live To Lead – released on New Year’s Eve and inspired by the anti-apartheid campaigner – she said the Prince needed to follow his own script.

“Harry needs to be authentic and stick to his own story, what relevance does grandad’s life have with his?” she said.

“I don’t believe he nor Meghan have ever properly met granddad, maybe when Harry was young at Buckingham Palace, but they are using his quotations in the documentary to draw in people and make millions without the Mandela family benefiting.

“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 – Harry and Meghan are no different from them.

“I admire Harry for having the confidence to break away from an institution as iconic as the royal family. Grandad rebelled against an arranged marriage to find his own path in life. But it comes at a price, you have to then fund your own life, I’ve made peace with people using granddad’s name but it’s still deeply upsetting and tedious every time it happens.”

During a visit in 2015, Prince Harry told the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory: “I was fortunate enough to meet Madiba a number of years ago and I have treasured that memory ever since.”

The Live To Lead documentary profiles seven “leaders” as picked by the couple.