'I was there': Royal expert hits out at 'intrusive' Harry and Meghan Netflix trailer photo

The use of a clip of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in a trailer for their new Netflix documentary has been branded a "complete travesty" by a royal expert.

A new trailer was released on Monday for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's upcoming Netflix docuseries, which debuts on the streaming platform on Thursday.

But one royal commentator pointed out that a clip used in the trailer to suggest press intrusion was actually part of an approved photo opportunity.

At one point in the trailer, a photographer's camera is seen looking down on Harry, Meghan and their son, Archie, from above, while Harry's voiceover says: "There's leaking, but there's also planting of stories. It’s a dirty game.”

Watch: Full trailer released for Harry & Meghan Netflix documentary

But royal journalist and broadcaster Robert Jobson tweeted a screengrab of the clip and wrote: "This photograph used by Netflix and Harry and Meghan to suggest intrusion by the press is a complete travesty.

"It was taken from an accredited pool at Archbishop Tutu’s residence in Cape Town. Only three people were in the accredited position. Harry and Meghan agreed the position. I was there."

Jobson, the royal editor at the Evening Standard newspaper, has written a number of books about the royal family, including 2019's Charles: Our Future King.

Jobson tweeted another image that he had taken from the couple's trip in September 2019, showing them and Archie with Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Read more: Piers Morgan 'traumatised' after voice used in new Harry & Meghan Netflix trailer

He wrote: "This shot by me from the same accredited pool position on my iPhone was taken at Archbishop Tutu’s Cape Town residence. There was no intrusion.

"I was part of a three-person UK palace pool. Nobody else was allowed in and we shared the words and photos with the UK media."

Jobson also tweeted: "I am informing people who have watched the trailer that the photos used in the Netflix trailer are not what they seem.

"Netflix have failed in their duty of care. The use of these photos has created a false narrative. Netflix should apologise and correct their mistake."

The second trailer for the Netflix show has also been criticised for appearing to show a clip of press photographers waiting outside court for TV personality Katie Price.

In one section of the trailer, clips of paparazzi are paralleled alongside old footage of Harry’s mother, Princess Diana being followed by the media as Harry says in a voiceover: “The pain and suffering of women marrying into this institution, this feeding frenzy.

“I was terrified, I didn’t want history to repeat itself.”

However, one of the clips shown to illustrate his words appears to show members of the press awaiting Price's arrival outside Crawley Magistrates Court.

Another part of the trailer shows photographers huddling around a car as Meghan says, referring to the royal household, “I realised they are never going to protect you”.

Rather than depicting the royal couple being hounded, the clip seems to be of Donald Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen being photographed.

The first trailer for the new documentary was also controversial, as it showed a photo of Harry trying to avoid paparazzi, but it was while he was dating businesswoman Chelsy Davy.

The couple had an on-off relationship up until 2010.

Netflix confirmed volume one of the series will launch on 8 December, with the second volume to be released on 15 December.

Billed as a Netflix Global Event, the streaming giant has promised an “unprecedented and in-depth documentary series” over six episodes where Harry and Meghan “share the other side of their high-profile love story”.

It added it was a “never-before-seen look at one of the most-discussed couples in history”.

Harry and Meghan signed lucrative deals – thought to be worth well over £100m – with Netflix and Spotify after quitting the monarchy and moving to the US.

Yahoo News UK has approached Netflix for comment.

Watch: First trailer released for Harry & Meghan documentary series