Written by Aoife McMahon
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex is supporting his wife Meghan Markle in what he is calling a “ruthless campaign” being run by British tabloids.
It was announced that Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, is suing the Mail on Sunday after they published a private letter, she wrote to her father pleading with him to stop talking to the papers.
A spokesperson for the Mail on Sunday said it “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.”
The Mail published the five-page letter on the 10th of February this year, they included pictures of the handwritten note but also typed it out so everyone could read it. It was a deeply personal letter where the Duchess tells her dad that his actions have broken her heart.
In his statement Prince Harry mentioned how Meghan has been criticised all throughout their wedding, her pregnancy and the few times she’s been seen in public with Archie.
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.”
This isn’t the first time the Royals have had issues with tabloid papers, in 2012, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, William and Kate, sued a French Magazine for publishing topless photos of Kate.
Like Harry, William explained how this kind of media harassment reminded him of the things his mother Diana went through.
While a lot of people empathise with the duke and duchess of Sussex situation some people are quick to criticise them for a double standard. One of these people is Piers Morgan, who is calling the suing a “savage attack on the press” on twitter.
While Morgan is known for making unpopular comments, a lot of people seem to agree with him, and his tweet has over four thousand likes. He said that they’ve had the “praise and criticism that their behaviour warranted.”
Some argue that Harry and Meghan can’t expect the media to cover their charity events or tours if they aren’t also allowed cover their private lives, while others believe that the royals deserve to have their privacy respected.
Ellen DeGeneres was one of the first people to tweet out in support of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex saying, “I’m proud to call Meghan and Harry friends, and I’m even more proud of them for finally saying enough is enough.”
The legal proceedings that will be held in the High Court are being privately funded by Harry and Meghan. If Harry and Meghan are to win the case, the proceeds will be donated to an anti-bullying charity.