Harry and Meghan take legal action over private letter in statement referencing Diana
A British commentator has slammed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle ‘hysterically over-the-top’, after the royal couple took legal action against a UK tabloid.
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The British press has branded Prince Harry and Meghan Markle ‘hysterically over-the-top’ in the wake of their lawsuit against a UK tabloid.
The backlash against the Duke and Duchess of Sussex was led by outspoken royal critic Piers Moran, who described Harry’s statement as “inexplicable”, “negative” and a “helter-skelter of hypocrisy”.
His comments came after Prince Harry released an emotional essay yesterday — which was said to have been unapproved by Buckingham Palace — comparing the media’s treatment of his wife to that of Princess Diana, and announcing the couple was suing the Mail on Sunday.
“What did irritate me was the hysterically over-the-top statement that the Sussexes decided to release to accompany their lawsuit,” Morgan wrote in the Daily Mail.
“It is honestly one of the most extraordinary rants I’ve ever read from anyone in the Royal Family, and one of the most inexplicable.”
Writing a column in the British tabloid, Morgan went on to criticise the couple, who are currently on a much-publicised tour of South Africa, even further: “Why declare war on the press who’ve just spent seven days saying great things about them?
“Why petrol-bomb glowingly positive end-of-tour reports with a furnace of negative fury?”
Morgan called Harry’s statement a “catastrophic PR failure” and suggested it had overshadowed the positive press their South Africa trip had generated.
Harry and Meghan’s behaviour also drew criticism from former Daily Mirror editor Roy Greenslade, who questioned whether Harry had taken a “sledgehammer to crack a nut here? I think he may well find this is counter-productive”.
The timing of Harry’s statement was “curious”, according to BBC royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell, in the wake of their successful South Africa tour.
“British tabloids are not afraid of a fight,” he said. “They may well feel provoked by the language in this statement. Was it wise? We shall see.”
HARRY’S EXPLOSIVE STATEMENT
Morgan’s explosive column came a day a after Prince Harry issued an emotional statement, saying he worried that “history is repeating itself” with the British press’ treatment of his wife, Meghan.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex launched legal action in the High Court against the Mail on Sunday for allegedly unlawfully publishing one of her private letters to her father, Thomas Markle.
Harry referenced his late mother Princess Diana’s hounding by the British press, saying his “deepest fear is history repeating itself”.
“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,” Harry said.
“I lost my mother and now I watch my wife falling victim to the same powerful forces.”
Diana was being pursued by paparazzi in Paris when her car crashed in 1997, killing her and her boyfriend Dodi Al-Fayed, along with driver Henri Paul, who was over the legal blood alcohol limit.
Meghan and Harry are paying for the legal costs themselves for the case.
Harry said he and Meghan believed in “media freedom and objective, truthful reporting” as a “cornerstone of democracy”.
But he added: “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 — a ruthless campaign that has escalated over the past year, throughout her pregnancy and while raising our newborn son.
“There is a human cost to this relentless propaganda, specifically when it is knowingly false and malicious, and though we have continued to put on a brave face — as so many of you can relate to — I cannot begin to describe how painful it has been.”
The Mail on Sunday added in a statement: “The Mail on Sunday stands by the story it published and will be defending this case vigorously. Specifically, we categorically deny that the Duchess’s letter was edited in any way that changed its meaning.”
Harry and Meghan’s statement appeared to break unofficial protocol by discussing personal matters while in the middle of a royal tour, The Sun reports.
And it is unclear whether The Queen formally sanctioned the statement or its timing.
The outpouring comes after a string of stories about the royal couple.
They include charges of hypocrisy over Harry and Meghan campaigning for climate change while using private jets and Harry attending a Google conference on board a mega-yacht.
The couple have also faced criticism over the £2.4 million ($4.3 million) cost of refurbishing their home Frogmore Cottage on the Windsor Estate.
The pressure of being in the spotlight showed during Meghan’s appearance at the University of Johannesburg last night.
She was attending a round table discussion with the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), of which she is patron.
Meghan was clearly proud of the announcement, and slightly nervous.
“I will use the note card because my goodness, this is the last bit that I can’t screw up,” the Duchess of Sussex said to laughter.
“I’m very, very happy that we’re able to announce today gender grants.”
‘MY WIFE HAS BECOME ONE OF THE VICTIMS’
In his statement, Harry said he and Meghan believed in “media freedom and objective, truthful reporting” as a “cornerstone of democracy”.
But he added: “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 — a ruthless campaign that has escalated over the past year, throughout her pregnancy and while raising our newborn son.
“There is a human cost to this relentless propaganda, specifically when it is knowingly false and malicious, and though we have continued to put on a brave face — as so many of you can relate to — I cannot begin to describe how painful it has been.
“Because in today’s digital age, press fabrications are repurposed as truth across the globe. One day’s coverage is no longer tomorrow’s chip-paper.”
Harry, who is represented by high-powered London legal firm Harbottle & Lewis who have made several complaints to newspapers on his behalf, also claimed the couple had been unable to correct “continual misrepresentations” in the press.
He also even questioned the positive newspaper coverage the couple have enjoyed during their current Southern African tour.
The royal couple have been pictured every day since last week attending a series of events to highlight good causes close to their hearts.
Each visit has been crafted by a team of public relations experts to help improve their image.
That included Harry’s visit to landmine fields in Angola — just like Diana did in the 1990s and a rare public appearance by their baby son Archie.
‘DOUBLE STANDARDS’
But Harry claimed this “positive” coverage of himself and Meghan on the tour exposed “the double standards” of the press.
He added: “She is the same woman she was a year ago on our wedding day, just as she is the same woman you’ve seen on this Africa tour.
“I have been a silent witness to her private suffering for too long. To stand back and do nothing would be contrary to everything we believe in.”
Meghan started the costly legal action against the Mail on Sunday newspaper over an allegation it “unlawfully” published a letter from her to her father Thomas Markle earlier this year.
The Duchess insists the letter — which detailed her pain at their estrangement since the wedding — was private.
British law firm Schillings, representing Meghan, said she had filed a High Court claim against the paper and its parent company Associated Newspapers over the alleged misuse of private information, infringement of copyright and breach of the Data Protection Act 2018.
The legal proceedings in the Chancery Division of the High Court are being privately funded by Harry and Meghan.
Depending on the court ruling, proceeds from any damages will be donated to an anti-bullying charity.
In response to Harry’s statement, royal author and Prince Charles’ biographer Penny Junor said: “This is the most extraordinary statement and goes way beyond anything I have ever seen issued by a member of the royal family.
“I completely understand that Harry should feel protective about his wife and there have undoubtedly been some negative stories in the last nine months that must have hurt — but not exclusively in the Mail on Sunday — and they have not all been lies, nor I would suggest, part of a ruthless campaign.
“The positive coverage of this last week in Africa is richly deserved. This feels to me like an overemotional and somewhat ill-advised outburst.”
Originally published as Harry and Meghan take legal action over private letter in statement referencing Diana