The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, have angrily condemned British tabloids, including the renowned Daily Mail, for stories they said were false, distorted or invasive beyond reason.
The Duke and the Duchess made a rather shocking announcement last Sunday night. The couple announced publicly that they are severing all contact with four United Kingdom-based tabloid newspapers. They made it known that they would no longer offer themselves up as what they termed as a “currency for an economy of clickbait and distortion.”
The Scathing Sunday Night Letter from the Royal Couple
The royal couple wrote a scathing letter to The Sun, the Daily Express, the Daily Mail, and the Daily Mirror. And the letter – which many dubbed “the royal kiss-off” – was shared by several news outlets.
The letter reads: “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will not be engaging with your outlet. There will be zero engagement and no corroboration. This is also a policy being instated for their communications team, in order to protect that team from the side of the industry that readers never see.”
We Have Abandoned Public Funding, Says Couple
Harry and Meghan have officially stepped back from royal duties and stated in the letter that they have given up public funding. Although they presently stay in Los Angeles, the couple hinted at poor treatment by British tabloids as a reason for leaving the palace in the first instance.
The Suit against the Daily Mail and Phone Hacking Accusation
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have sued the Daily Mail for sharing a private letter that Meghan sent to her father. And they have also accused the Daily Mirror and The Sun of phone hacking.
“This policy is not about avoiding criticism,” they continued in the letter posted Sunday. “It’s not about shutting down public conversation or censoring accurate reporting. Media have every right to report on and indeed have an opinion on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, good or bad. But it can’t be based on a lie.”
“It is gravely concerning that an influential slice of the media, over many years, has sought to insulate themselves from taking accountability for what they say or print – even when they know it to be distorted, false, or invasive beyond reason,” the two said. “When power is enjoyed without responsibility, the trust we all place in this much-needed industry is degraded.”
About three months ago, the Duke and Duchess had to drop the “HRH” titles, following their announcement to sever ties from the British royal palace. They also had to repay taxpayers’ money that was used for exclusively renovating Frogmore Cottage.
The Queen, after a meeting with other members of the royal family at Sandringham, has stated that the aristocratic couple will discontinue working as members of the British Royal Family as soon as spring arrives. They will also not be performing any official duties on behalf of the female sovereign ruler.
