The crew stood apart from the dozens of photographers covering the arrival of and Meghan at the Invictus Games reception today.

The cameraman, sound recordist and producer wore maroon coloured bibs with numbers on to make sure they stood out from the other media at the event.

They are expected to shadow the couple for a docu-series on the Invictus Games founded by Harry.  

Critics have accused the royal couple of ‘cashing in’ on the Games by allowing the streaming giant, with whom they have signed a $100million deal, into private meetings.  

The Netflix doc series being filmed over the course of a week while the games are staged is called ‘Heart of Darkness.’

It is the first co-production with the couple’s Archewell Productions and is being made by the Oscar-winning team of director Orlando von Einsiedel and producer Joanna Natasegara.

They were responsible for the widely acclaimed documentary ‘White Helmets’ about first responders during the Syrian conflict.

According to Archwell, the docu-series will ‘ showcase powerful stories of resilience and hope from competitors on their journey to Invictus Games’.

As the couple arrived at the reception event, they were greeted by Hollywood-style cheers and applause.They were due to spend an hour there before returning to a private residence where they are staying.

It was hosted by the city of The Hague and the Dutch defence ministry. 

Meghan is expected to return to California on Monday while Harry will stay until the end of the games where he will give a closing speech.

The couple will attend a driving skills event on Saturday afternoon and later the opening ceremony at the Zuiderpark stadium.

The pair – who met with in a flying visit yesterday – were seen with the Ukraine team at the tournament for injured military veterans.

Harry dressed in a smart navy blue suit can be seen holding a calendar looking earnest, as Meghan is further back smiling at another member of the group.

The couple were clapped and cheered after a quick outfit change as they walked to the reception for competitors and their families.

Harry tenderly placed his hand on Meghan’s back as they stood chatting outside the reception tent.They were joined by the Mayor of The Hague Jan Van Zanen and the group stood talking for several minutes. As Harry guided his wife inside the marquee a huge cheer and clapping could be heard from inside. 

Meghan flashed a dazzling smile and waved when she was cheered by members of the USA team.

Inside the reception Harry and Meghan were guided to a stage making their best through the cheering guests.Harry gave a short speech welcoming the competitors while Meghan looked on. 

One member of the Great Britain team said: ‘It was nice to see Harry and Meghan, but there were so many people inside it was hard to hear the speech.’ 

The couple we’re making their first appearance outside the US since quitting the royal family in an acrimonious split in 2020. 

Meghan wore a bright white jacket and trousers while Harry wore a suit with open neck shirt. 

Earlier today, Ukrainian Oleg Karpenko said: ‘You just look who is here with us The Prince himself with a calendar.

‘The Invictus Games Ukraine team will soon start winning its medals at these competitions.Proud.’

The calendar is from NGO Come Back Alive, which is raising funds to assist the Ukrainian army.

It tweeted: ‘The foundation presented Price Harry its calendar The Real Scale. Our colleagues gave the calendar to the Duke of Sussex during the Invictus Games meeting in Hague.’

It came hours after footage has emerged of a blacked-out van and 4×4 leaving  on the same day Harry and Meghan snuck in for an incognito visit – sparking speculation they were on board. 

The convoy travelled down Windsor High Street yesterday preceded by two police motorcyclists, in what could be the couple’s security pendik escort. 

The video may spark questions about their security arrangements, given Harry had previously suggested he would not return to the UK unless he was given full police protection. 

The Sussexes have been accused of ‘exploiting  for ‘ and making their trip for ‘clear the air talks’ with the Queen and to please American producers of their upcoming documentary.

Speaking to MailOnline, Meghan’s acid-penned biographer Tom Bower sensationally branded the Sussexes ‘the Royal Family’s worst traducers’ and accused the couple of ‘exploiting an old, unwell woman to boost their credibility and coffers’.

Netflix has sent a camera crew to follow Harry and Meghan when they meet the Ukraine team at the Invictus Games for injured military veterans in The Netherlands for their documentary about the Paralympic-style games.

But critics have accused the royal couple of ‘cashing in’ on the Games by allowing Netflix, with whom they have signed a $100million deal, into private meetings.And royal experts believe the VVIP status given to the couple will allow Netflix to portray the couple in a favourable light, as they deal with the fallout from their bombshell interview with Oprah last year. 

Talking about Harry and Meghan’s summit with the Queen and Charles, Mr Bower said last night: ‘I have no doubt it was all done for their Netflix documentary.The Queen’s advisers failed to protect her from being exploited by the Royal Family’s worst traducers, while the Sussexes exploited an old, unwell woman to boost their credibility and coffers.’

MailOnline has contacted representatives for Harry and Meghan for comment.Buckingham Palace declined to comment on the video. 

Other experts suggested that the surprise face-to-face meeting with the Queen, who  will be 96 next Thursday and has experienced a series of health problems recently, was an ‘olive branch’ after considerable tension between the Sussexes and royal family.

Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty Magazine, said the visit would have made the Queen very happy despite the couple’s highly publicised criticism of the royals.In their interview with Oprah, they accused an unnamed senior royal of racism.

Meanwhile, Meghan and Harry’s mouthpiece Omid Scobie used the visit to direct a jab at palace officials, tweeting: ‘Three years ago keeping plans to visit the Queen a secret would have been impossible.Yesterday was another reminder of where the constant and unwanted leaks were coming from. HMTQ will always opt for fuss-free, so I’m sure it was much appreciated on both sides.’

Harry and his father have spoken only rarely over the past two years and he heavily criticised Charles in last year’s tell-all Oprah interview in California last year for failing to support him and allegedly cutting the duke off financially. 

The claims were disputed by supporters of Charles, who say he has been left desolate by his younger son’s rejection. He is also said to be deeply concerned about Harry’s memoirs, due to be published later this year, which he fears will be further used to settle scores.  

 

Miss Seward told The Sun newspaper: ‘It is a wonderful opportunity to clear the air and offer an olive branch.After everything that has gone on it must have taken a lot for Harry and Meghan to go to Windsor. Also Maundy Thursday is a very special day for the Queen as it is about forgiveness. She is not one to hold grudges and I think she would have happily welcomed them with open arms.’

The Sun reported a busload of tourists had seen the couple visiting Windsor Castle, with one telling the paper they ‘couldn’t believe it when I saw who it was.We waved and they waved back. They looked happy and relaxed and waved to everyone on the bus’.   

Meghan last saw the Queen at an awkward Commonwealth Day service on March 8, 2020 but has claimed since to regularly speak to her on the phone and over video calls.

Harry has not seen his grandmother in person since Prince Philip’s funeral last April when he flew over briefly from their new home in the US.And the Queen has not met their baby daughter Lilibet. But their contact would have been limited because of Covid restrictions. 

The duke has since launched a High Court legal action against the Home Office claiming it is too dangerous to bring his family to the UK after being stripped of his official Metropolitan Police protection. 

The couple are understood to have left Windsor yesterday afternoon and are now more than likely in the Netherlands to attend the prince’s Invictus Games, the Paralympic-style event he set up for wounded service personnel, which opens tomorrow in The Hague.

<div class="art-ins mol-factbox news halfRHS" data-version="2" id="mol-54a41070-bc95-11ec-8e22-efaebceac8e9" website crew scamper around after Harry and Meghan at Invictus Games