Prince Harry has stated that his battle against the British tabloid press has been a “central piece” behind the disintegration of his relationship with the Royal Family. The prince was victorious in December when a High Court judge ruled that Mirror Group Newspapers had unlawfully obtained data for articles published about him. Since then, the prince has received hundreds of thousands of pounds in compensation. In his first public comments since the four-year legal saga was brought to a close, Prince Harry spoke about the monumentality of the victory, describing himself as “vindicated” by the ruling.
Whilst the victory is seen as a personal triumph for the prince, his relationship with the Royal Family has been strained as a result. Prince Harry revealed on an upcoming ITV documentary airing on Thursday that his decision to fight against MGN had “caused… part of a rift” with the rest of his family. The prince and his wife, Meghan, withdrew from their royal duties in 2020 after incurring the wrath of the media. The couple said they were unable to cope with the relentless attention of the British press.
During the documentary, Prince Harry also discussed the spectre of media intrusion and the impact it had on his mother, Princess Diana. Harry claimed that there was evidence to suggest that Princess Diana was hacked, calling his mother a victim of the tabloid press. He criticised the tabloids for painting his mother as paranoid and praised her for having the foresight to notice what was happening to her.
The documentary, entitled Tabloids on Trial, features interviews with other household names who have been affected by the British press. However, MGN countered the programme: “We welcomed the judgment in December 2023 that gave the business the necessary clarity to move forward from events that took place many years ago. Where historical wrongdoing took place, we apologise unreservedly, have taken full responsibility and paid compensation.” The prince has ongoing cases against Associated Newspapers and News Group Newspapers, the publishers of the Daily Mail and The Sun respectively.
Prince Harry has been at the forefront of a major shift in the monarchy’s relationship with the media. His legal battle has brought to light the intrusive tactics used by the British press and has ultimately resulted in a greater level of scrutiny over their conduct. In revealing his personal trials, the prince has opened up a national conversation about the consequences of tabloid culture
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