The granddaughter of Nelson Mandela has accused the Duke and Duchess of Sussex of exploiting her grandfather’s legacy.
Nikola Mandela, 57, told an Australian news outlet that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are “using” the late South African president’s name for their own self-promotion by working with the Nelson Mandela Foundation to create the Netflix series “Live to Lead.” The show hit the streaming service on Dec. 31, and features prominent stories of leadership from around the world.
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She accused the royals of comparing themselves to her iconic grandfather and their struggles to South Africa’s apartheid system. “That’s chalk and cheese, there is no comparison,” Mandela told The Australian. “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.”
The granddaughter conceded that she does admire Prince Harry and his strength to step away from the royal family, the outlet noted. “But it comes at a price, you have to then fund your own life,” she continued. “I’ve made peace with people using granddad’s name but it’s still deeply upsetting and tedious every time it happens.” (RELATED: REPORT: Meghan Markle Will Release Her Own Memoir After Prince Harry)
The Nelson Mandela Foundation did not immediately respond to questions regarding whether Nikola Mandela worked on the production of the television show, or has any role in the foundation itself.