Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are together one of the world’s most powerful couples. Since their wedding in 2018, press surrounding the Duke and Duchess of Sussex has been nonstop. While most of the world is elated for the couple and the announcement of their first child, Archie, many in the media have attacked Markle personally in their stories. Most recently, a personal letter from Markle to her father was edited and released into the public. This was the final straw for the royal couple, who have now decided to take legal action. In a statement to the press, Harry defends his wife and says they will not stand for the media harassment anymore.

Prince Harry Stands Up For His Wife

Prince Harry was the first to speak up about the attacks on his wife by the British media. He recently released a public statement with the following sentiments: “As a couple, we believe in media freedom and objective, truthful reporting… Unfortunately, my wife has become one of the latest victims of a British tabloid press that wages campaigns against individuals with no thought to the consequences.” Harry is referencing not one, but many tabloid stories surrounding Markle’s personal life, and in particular, her relationship with her father. He then goes on to explain why he and the royal family have taken these articles and news stories so personally: “There is a human cost to this relentless propaganda, specifically when it is knowingly false and malicious… Because in today’s digital age, press fabrications are repurposed as truth across the globe.” He continues to point out that the press has taken advantage of Meghan’s step away from the limelight during pregnancy and the first months of motherhood by attacking her when she is most vulnerable.

Harry And Meghan Take Legal Action

The pressure of the media on the royal family was likely not a surprise to Meghan. Before her marriage to Prince Harry she was a highly-regarded actress with vast experience in the public eye. However, the recent stories about Markle’s relationship with her father have put her in a personally compromising position. Due to a recent breach of privacy, Harry made the shocking announcement: “It is for this reason we are taking legal action, a process that has been many months in the making.” The lawsuit is based on one particular incident, in which a personal letter from Meghan to her father was copied, edited, and published in a British tabloid. For most of us, having a personal letter revealed to the world would be humiliating. However, Meghan’s situation escalated because the contents of the published letter were intentionally edited to mislead readers into believing a false narrative.

This Issue Has Been In Prince Harry’s Life Since Day One

Like Meghan Markle, Prince Harry is no stranger to harassment from the media. In his statement to the press, however, he reveals a heartbreaking truth about the recent events in his marriage. He said: “I’ve seen what happens when someone I love is commoditised to the point that they are no longer treated or seen as a real person. I lost my mother and now I watch my wife falling victim to the same powerful forces.” Harry’s mother, Princess Diana, was constantly harassed by the British media. She was loved by many, hated by even more, and after her divorce from Prince Charles she only received heavier criticism. When witnessing the same cycle with his wife, it is no surprise that Prince Harry is especially upset. However, his strong statement and the legal proceedings to follow will send a message to the media to stop the shaming that is so prevalent in pop culture today.