'The jewel in the crown': Harry and Meghan Netflix doc could be nominated for an Oscar

Bosses at Netflix have submitted the six-part series for consideration as a best documentary contender at the Academy Awards in March, a senior studio source reveals. The couple will learn whether they have a shot at red-carpet glory when the full list of nominations is released on January 24 after votes have been cast by the Academy's 6,291 members.

Another Netflix source says the success of the series and the no-holds-barred revelations in Harry's book Spare will pile pressure on the couple to agree to a reality fly on-the-wall series with the streaming giant - something they had resisted because they feared appearing trashy.

If they win an Oscar on March 12 at LA's Dolby Theatre, the Oscar would be shared between their production company Archewell and fellow independent producers Story Syndicate and Diamond Docs.

Harry and Meghan's Hollywood cheer comes as they face worldwide fury over his ghostwritten autobiography but a senior studio source confirmed last night: "I don't think their hopes of an Oscar run will be dented by all the controversy.

"The hierarchy at Netflix considers them the jewel in their crown and there are future plans in development that will revisit the same documentary format that has made Harry & Meghan such a phenomenon."

In the biggest debut ever for a Netflix documentary, the series racked up 81.6 million viewing hours in its first four days then 97.7 million hours for the final episodes.

Though a spokesman at Netflix would not comment, our source revealed the company is "aggressively campaigning behind the scenes" in support of an Oscar bid.

"Alongside The Crown and its awards success, Netflix sees Harry & Meghan as a contender in the documentary category and are expecting even bigger things from them."

Though now overshadowed by Harry's memoir, the couple had sparked uproar over the series, in which Harry claimed William screamed at him during their infamous Sandringham Summit, blamed stress over media coverage for Meghan's miscarriage, revealed Harry "hated" himself for his initial response to his wife's suicidal thoughts and moaned that they would probably not get an apology from his family.

Our source insisted, however: "They are acquiring a wide circle of supporters among the Hollywood elite, almost all of whom share their liberal views and who don't see this as a fly-on-the-wall royal reality show.

"They see it as groundbreaking - historic even - and if all this translates to support from the Academy's voting members, then they are almost certainly in line for an Oscar." This would also suit the Academy's leadership, said the source. "Even as nominees up for an award themselves, it would present an opportunity for Harry and Meghan to be offered a ratings-boosting guest slot as presenters of a major acting award on the big night.

"If they're already there as nominees, the Academy will want to try to put them in front of the camera as much as possible." But while their first six-parter is seen as a classy offering, Harry's headline-making autobiography has prompted Netflix bosses to push the Sussexes hard to film an at home reality series, reveals a separate source in LA.

Some executives had "raised eyebrows" about the volume of personal and family bombshells in the book, compared to their tamer recent docuseries.

Now the US streamer "sees the value" that a Harry and Meghan at-home reality-style show would bring to the network. They have upped their interest in producing a TV version of claims made in Spare.

Last week the Sunday Express reported that Harry and Meghan had resisted a more intimate fly-on-the-wall series with Netflix, fearing they would be considered too much like US reality-show family the Kardashians.

Harry is appearing on US and UK TV specials to plug Spare, although he did not agree to a media tour for the Netflix series.

The LA source said that there is now a feeling that "the gloves are off" for Harry and Meghan opening up in full. "Netflix feels they are in prime position for a second project. Last time Harry and Meghan held back on the editorial with film-maker Liz Garbus, but there is now no need. The aftermath of what happens to Harry and Meghan will be fascinating to viewers.

"We know the couple films material all the time, so there remains a treasure trove which could make dynamite viewing.

"However for such a deal to move forward, the couple would have to open up the doors of their Montecito home."