Joanita Wibowo
TV

Prince Harry and Oprah Winfrey's "secret meetings"

Prince Harry has teamed up with Oprah Winfrey to create a new documentary series on mental health.

The multi-part series, which is set to air on Apple’s upcoming streaming service Apple TV+ in 2020, is co-created and produced by the Duke of Sussex and the popular TV personality.

“I am incredibly proud to be working alongside Oprah on this vital series, which we have been developing together for several months,” the Prince confirmed in a statement.

“Our hope is that this series will be positive, enlightening and inclusive – sharing global stories of unparalleled human spirit … and the opportunity for us to understand ourselves and those around us better.”

In an appearance on CBS’s This Morning, Winfrey said she and the Prince had “secret meetings” in London to develop the project.

“I’ve flown there with the crew, sitting in sessions talking about the directions we’re going to take [with the series],” she said.

“Our hope is that it will have an impact to reduce the stigma and help people to know they’re not alone, allowing people to speak up about it and identify it for themselves and their friends.”

She revealed that the collaboration came about when she was having a conversation with the Prince and asked him what the most important issues facing the world were.

“He said there were two,” she said. “He said climate change and he said mental wellness, mental fitness.”

She added, “As you know, he’s spoken about his own issues and what he went through after his mother died and how being able to talk about it has benefited him.

“And I was telling him about this Apple platform and he said at the end of the conversation, ‘If there’s anything I can do to help.’ And I go, ‘As a matter of fact…’”

In June 2018, Apple announced that it has signed a multi-year partnership with Winfrey to create original programs for the tech company.

The upcoming docu-series is Prince Harry’s latest project that focuses on mental health. He has previously launched the mental health initiative Heads Together with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to raise awareness and tackle the stigma surrounding the subject.

Tags:
Prince Harry, Oprah Winfrey, Duke of Sussex, TV, Apple