The Duke of Sussex, who is set to become a father this month, will jointly create and executive produce the upcoming mental health-themed show with Winfrey, according to Kensington Palace, his official residence.

“I am incredibly proud to be working alongside Oprah on this vital series which we have been developing together for several months,” the prince said in a statement.

“Our hope is that this series will be positive, enlightening and inclusive — sharing … the opportunity for us to understand ourselves and those around us better.”

It comes as Winfrey lauded her “loving friend” Meghan on US TV.

Winfrey said the Duchess of Sussex “is not only everything that we perceive of her as being - graceful and dynamic in holding that position - but she just has a wonderful, warm, giving, loving heart.”

Winfrey’s friend Gayle King, also weighed in, saying: “She’s very kind. She doesn’t seem to buy into [her bad press] though.”

Winfrey went on to say that the Duchess doesn’t read anything written about her.

“She actually does not read anything, which I find, you know remarkable,” Winfrey said.

“I think that’s remarkable in spite of all that’s going on, she doesn’t read anything.”

Winfrey described several “secret meetings” with Harry to nut out the idea for the series.

“I asked the question what do you think are the most important issues facing the world right now, and he said there are two. He said climate change and mental wellness, mental fitness and mental health.

“As you know, he’s spoken about his own issues and what he went through after his mother died and how being able to talk about it has benefited him,” Winfrey said.

“So it’s a passion of his and, at the end of the conversation, I said, ‘Oh, I’m going to be doing this thing with Apple. It’s a big concern of mine too and I want to try to erase the stigma.’

“And he said at the end of the conversation, ‘If there’s anything I can do to help.’”

“He’s co-creating and executive producing,” she said. “Our hope is it will have an impact on reducing the stigma and allow people to know that they’re not alone and allowing people to speak up for it and identify with it.”

Tech titan Apple, which will air the multi-part documentary, recently launched into the television streaming market to take on Netflix and Amazon.

The partnership with Winfrey, who has decades of experience as one of America’s foremost talk show hosts, will focus on both “mental illness and mental wellness”, Kensington Palace said.

Its creators hope to inspire viewers “to have an honest conversation about the challenges each of us faces, and how to equip ourselves with the tools to thrive,” it added.

No details were released on a time frame for the new documentary series. Harry — whose American wife Meghan is weeks away from giving birth to the couple’s first child — has advocated on mental health issues alongside his other charity work in recent years.

He has previously revealed that for a long time he struggled to cope with the death of his mother Diana in a Paris car crash in 1997, and sought professional help a few years ago.

After a decade in the British army — serving two tours of duty in Afghanistan — the duke launched in 2017 the “Heads Together” mental health initiative with his brother Prince William and sister-in-law Kate.

It was spearheaded by their philanthropic and charitable arm The Royal Foundation.