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In an interview with The Australian, Ndileka Mandela, a social activist and writer, has criticised the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for using her late grandfather’s name to bring in a higher Netflix audience in their latest documentary, which was released last month.
The 57-year-old has referred to the move as “deeply upsetting and tedious”.
She claimed to have felt “deeply upset” by the couple for using the leader’s legacy to, not only draw in views, but to fund their life in the US.
Speaking from Johannesburg, Ms Mandela spoke about Meghan and Harry’s seven-part Netflix documentary, Live To Lead, which was released on New Year’s Eve.
The documentary was inspired by the anti-apartheid campaigner, to which Ms Mandela said Harry “needs to be authentic and stick to his own story”, instead of using her late grandfather’s story.
She said: “What relevance does grandad’s life have with his?”.
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The 57-year-old added: “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.”
Despite her criticism, Ms Mandela said she does “admire” the Duke of Sussex for “having the confidence to break away from an institution as iconic as the Royal family”.
Speaking of her late grandfather, she added: “Grandad rebelled against an arranged marriage to find his own path in life.
READ MORE: Megyn Kelly in stitches as she mocks Prince Harry’s latest bid to ‘finally’ tell his story
“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.”
In 2015, Prince Harry told the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory of his memory meeting Madiba.
He told them: “I was fortunate enough to meet Madiba a number of years ago and I have treasured that memory ever since.”
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Lasy year, Prince Harry spoke of the late anti-apartheid hero during a tribute to him on Nelson Mandela International Day.
The 38-year-old said that he has a touching picture of his mum Diana meeting Nelson Mandela on his wall, adding that it is a photograph that he treasures.
During the speech at the UN headquarters last year, Harry said of the image: “The photo was presented to me by the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu. When I first looked at the photo straight away what jumped out was the joy on my mother’s face, the playfulness, cheekiness even.”
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