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The Princess and the Press: How the Media Targets the Royal Family

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The royals have always been under the watchful eye of the public and the tabloids. When the death of Prince Harry’s mother, Princess Diana, shook the world, the public’s scrutiny of the royal family intensified.

Upon her death, Katie Couric wrote of Princess Diana’s sons’ life after her death, “Diana was keenly aware of her place on the world’s stage and seemed to want to make the most of it. I see this legacy living on through her sons — not only in the relentless media scrutiny they endure, but also in how they use this attention to advance causes that are important to them.”

And they’ve championed her causes. Most recently, Prince Harry visited South Africa with his wife, the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, and their son, Archie. 

But now, the Duke of Sussex is looking to sue The Sun and The Daily Mirror for their continued harassment of his wife. It’s true the tabloids haven’t let up on Markle since their news-worthy marriage, but with the alleged hacking of his phone, they seem to have gone too far.

He released a statement recently regarding the treatment of his family by the tabloids.

“Unfortunately, my wife has become one of the latest victims of a British tabloid press that wages … a ruthless campaign that has escalated over the past year, throughout her pregnancy and while raising our newborn son,” Harry said.

Now, Buckingham Palace has confirmed that claims have been filed by the Duke of Sussex against News UK, the owner of The Sun and MGN, the previous owner of The Mirror regarding the alleged illegal interception of voicemail messages.

The Daily Beast reports that the case is being funded entirely by the Duke and Duchess themselves, and it does not involve the rest of the royal family. It is also said that any funds resulting from the case will go to an anti-bullying charity.

This isn’t the first time the royal family has had their voicemails tapped. Nor are the letters Markle wrote to her estranged father that The Daily Mail published back in April new.

However, not everyone agrees with the”aggressive” tactic by the fed-up Duke. Revealed by The Guardian, a host of experts, public relation specialists and magazine editors, disavow Prince Harry’s actions, saying it’s “a very tactical ploy,” and “even if he wins both cases, which I’m sure he’ll win the phone hacking, I simply don’t understand, why now?”

Harry already revealed his intentions for suing the publications. He is quoted in his press release as saying, “I’ve seen what happens when someone I love is commoditized 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.”

Sheron is the author of the dark epic fantasy series, The Dark World, and writes under the pen name S.C. Parris. When she's not drinking tea and plotting her next word, she can be found on Twitter, where she makes known her love of vampires. She can also be found on her blog and her Patreon, where she writes bloody short stories for her subscribers.

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  1. Pingback: Five Steps Prince Harry and the Royal Family Must Take to Repair Their Relationship

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