A recent screening of a documentary produced by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at the Sundance Film Festival did not draw the expected capacity crowd. The Sunday morning showing of “Cookie Queens,” a film about Girl Scouts, left a notable number of seats empty at the Eccles Theatre.
Observers reported that approximately 150 seats remained unfilled as the film began, with about 60 still vacant by the time the screening started, despite some last-minute attendees from a waitlist filling in. Industry sources suggest the high price of festival passes, including express badges costing nearly $7,000, may have contributed to the turnout, with many pass-holders choosing other events.
The screening stood in contrast to other festival premieres that operated at full capacity. Events featuring prominent actors and directors reportedly turned away eager audiences, highlighting a disparity in attendance.
Prior to the film, Meghan Markle addressed those present, thanking them for attending an early screening and acknowledging potential fatigue from the previous night’s festival activities. The documentary itself, which follows young Girl Scouts across the U.S., was reportedly met with a positive reaction from the audience that did attend.
The couple’s appearance at the festival comes amid reported challenges for their production company, Archewell Productions, including the conclusion of one of their Netflix series and a reportedly reduced operational footprint.