Royal titles arrive loudly, but they do not guarantee standing ovations, as seen with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Cookie Queens. The film, chronicling competitive Girl Scouts in a lucrative cookie economy, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival 2026. The documentary did earn applause, but not as much as one would have hoped.

Despite Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's attendance in Park City, Utah, Cookie Queens failed to fill the Eccles Theatre. Empty balcony rows visibly undercut the couple’s Sundance presence, according to Page Six.

As the screening began, roughly 150 seats remained unused, concentrated heavily in the balcony. Ground-level gaps were also apparent. The optics mattered, particularly for a documentary attached to globally recognizable figures accustomed to commanding attention.

Page Six reported that over time, wait-listers replaced absent premium badge holders, shrinking vacancies to about 60 seats. The shift highlighted a telling reality. Even a $6,900 express badge did not compel pass-holders to prioritize the Sussex-produced premiere.

Even with a thinner crowd, the film, however, won over the room it had, earning a standing ovation in return.

Exploring the allure of Cookie Queens

Strip away the royal gloss brought by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, and Cookie Queens becomes a brisk lesson in early ambition. Through the film's 91-minute observational narrative, Ara, Olive, Nikki, and Shannon Elizabeth sell smiles alongside inventory. The season resembles an entry-level sales conference, only shorter and louder.

Cookie Queens gains its edge by documenting how Girl Scout cookie sales function as structured labor. 12-year-old Olive Elizabeth treats her quota like a corporate target, surpassing 12,000 boxes, while eight-year-old Shannon Elizabeth must sell 2,750 to fund summer camp amid looming mortgage payments.

The film further dissects modernization, replacing nostalgia. Venmo links substitute cash jars, and Instagram posts operate as marketing funnels. Five-year-old Ara manages Type 1 diabetes while selling sugar-heavy products, even baking sugar-free cookies to retain diabetic customers, a reality that drew some of the film’s strongest reactions during its Sundance screening.

What about Cookie Queens interests you? Let us know in the comments!

Written by

Iffat Siddiqui

Edited by

Itti Mahajan