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| Tabloids on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: don't blame us, guv | Tabloids on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: don't blame us, guv |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| For the tabloids, one story has trumped the US presidential choice: Prince Harry’s romance with an American actor, Meghan Markle. | For the tabloids, one story has trumped the US presidential choice: Prince Harry’s romance with an American actor, Meghan Markle. |
| And newspapers were anything but pleased about the prince’s advisers daring to issue a public statement accusing them of misbehaviour. | And newspapers were anything but pleased about the prince’s advisers daring to issue a public statement accusing them of misbehaviour. |
| What? Us? Don’t blame us, guv. How very dare you! We were just fulfilling the people’s right to know what the fifth in line to the throne is up to. It is a matter of public interest. | What? Us? Don’t blame us, guv. How very dare you! We were just fulfilling the people’s right to know what the fifth in line to the throne is up to. It is a matter of public interest. |
| Aware, however, that the public’s interest is always tempered by hypocrisy – leave the guy alone but do please tell us more – editors were careful to echo that humbug in their responses. | Aware, however, that the public’s interest is always tempered by hypocrisy – leave the guy alone but do please tell us more – editors were careful to echo that humbug in their responses. |
| So here are the opening sentences to Wednesday’s leading articles: “Anyone who has been in love will understand Prince Harry’s urge to protect his girlfriend…” (Daily Mail) | |
| “Prince Harry is a decent bloke whose heart is in the right place. His new girlfriend Meghan Markle is a breath of fresh air who we’d love to see become a regular fixture of life at Kensington Palace…” (The Sun) | |
| “Decent people everywhere will wish Prince Harry well in love, and his desire to protect American girlfriend Meghan Markle is both admirable and understandable…” (Daily Mirror) | |
| You can sense the “buts” that follow. And here they are: | You can sense the “buts” that follow. And here they are: |
| Mail: “But where, oh where, were the wise courtiers who should have advised the headstrong prince against issuing such an emotional, blanket condemnation of the media?” | Mail: “But where, oh where, were the wise courtiers who should have advised the headstrong prince against issuing such an emotional, blanket condemnation of the media?” |
| Sun: But “Harry’s attack on the media for ‘crossing the line’ was ill-judged”. | Sun: But “Harry’s attack on the media for ‘crossing the line’ was ill-judged”. |
| Mirror: But “scrutiny comes with the job when you’re a royal”. | Mirror: But “scrutiny comes with the job when you’re a royal”. |
| Anyway, we’re innocent of all charges. We have rules and stick to them. It was that nasty US media wot dunnit along with irresponsible social media users. | Anyway, we’re innocent of all charges. We have rules and stick to them. It was that nasty US media wot dunnit along with irresponsible social media users. |
| The Mail said it did not “defend anyone who may have breached the strict code of practice governing the British press”. | The Mail said it did not “defend anyone who may have breached the strict code of practice governing the British press”. |
| Nor does the Sun: “The UK press isn’t to blame for his most serious allegations. The Sun abides by strict rules against intrusion and harassment – and we agree Meghan shouldn’t be hounded.” | Nor does the Sun: “The UK press isn’t to blame for his most serious allegations. The Sun abides by strict rules against intrusion and harassment – and we agree Meghan shouldn’t be hounded.” |
| In fact, according to the Mirror, it is time for Facebook and Twitter to deal with the “poisonous sexist and racist abuse” by “trolls spewing bile”. | In fact, according to the Mirror, it is time for Facebook and Twitter to deal with the “poisonous sexist and racist abuse” by “trolls spewing bile”. |
| The Daily Express, in welcoming “the news of the prince’s relationship with a beautiful and talented young woman”, said: “Trolling on social media … is nothing to do with responsible media outlets such as this newspaper.” | The Daily Express, in welcoming “the news of the prince’s relationship with a beautiful and talented young woman”, said: “Trolling on social media … is nothing to do with responsible media outlets such as this newspaper.” |
| That said, Harry “needs to get real”, argued the Sun. “Media attention is unavoidable. When a prince falls for a glamorous American TV star, interest is bound to explode worldwide.” The Mail agreed: | That said, Harry “needs to get real”, argued the Sun. “Media attention is unavoidable. When a prince falls for a glamorous American TV star, interest is bound to explode worldwide.” The Mail agreed: |
| The public has a legitimate interest in the life story of a woman romantically connected to the son of our future king – a woman who has herself assiduously courted publicity to promote her commercial interest. | The public has a legitimate interest in the life story of a woman romantically connected to the son of our future king – a woman who has herself assiduously courted publicity to promote her commercial interest. |
| Indeed, there is a worrying tendency, particularly among the young royals, to expect all the advantages that go with their birth, while at the same time wanting to enjoy the privacy afforded to those of the Queen’s subjects who have to work nine-to-five for a living. | Indeed, there is a worrying tendency, particularly among the young royals, to expect all the advantages that go with their birth, while at the same time wanting to enjoy the privacy afforded to those of the Queen’s subjects who have to work nine-to-five for a living. |
| Sun columnist Jane Moore thought the prince should “develop a thicker skin in a modern world that prays at the altar of all things celebrity”. | Sun columnist Jane Moore thought the prince should “develop a thicker skin in a modern world that prays at the altar of all things celebrity”. |
| And the Mail’s columnist, Sarah Vine, thought it preposterous for publicity hungry Markle to claim she is a hapless victim: “You live by Instagram, you die by Instagram.” | And the Mail’s columnist, Sarah Vine, thought it preposterous for publicity hungry Markle to claim she is a hapless victim: “You live by Instagram, you die by Instagram.” |
| As for Harry, she surmised that despite his life of “unbelievable privilege” he was seeking “exactly the same privacy [as] the humblest dweller of the humblest bungalow”. | As for Harry, she surmised that despite his life of “unbelievable privilege” he was seeking “exactly the same privacy [as] the humblest dweller of the humblest bungalow”. |
| The Times took a somewhat similar view: “It is inconceivable that a relationship between a popular British prince, who is fifth in line to the throne, and a beautiful American actress is of no interest to the public and the press.” | The Times took a somewhat similar view: “It is inconceivable that a relationship between a popular British prince, who is fifth in line to the throne, and a beautiful American actress is of no interest to the public and the press.” |
| It thought Kensington Palace had taken a “remarkable step” by criticising press coverage. Why had the royal household not foreseen the likely level of interest? | It thought Kensington Palace had taken a “remarkable step” by criticising press coverage. Why had the royal household not foreseen the likely level of interest? |
| Having conceded that “invasive paparazzi hounding” had been a contributory factor to the death of Harry’s mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, the Times returned to its criticism of royal aides. | Having conceded that “invasive paparazzi hounding” had been a contributory factor to the death of Harry’s mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, the Times returned to its criticism of royal aides. |
| “It would have been wise of the palace to have warned her that she would be the subject of intense public and media interest.” | “It would have been wise of the palace to have warned her that she would be the subject of intense public and media interest.” |
| The Guardian reminded readers of the detail from the statement: journalists had tried to enter Markle’s home, her ex-boyfriend had been offered bribes and her mother had been harassed by photographers. | The Guardian reminded readers of the detail from the statement: journalists had tried to enter Markle’s home, her ex-boyfriend had been offered bribes and her mother had been harassed by photographers. |
| The tabloids, it said, “are at their old game again … deliberately confusing what is in the public interest with what is interesting to the public”. | The tabloids, it said, “are at their old game again … deliberately confusing what is in the public interest with what is interesting to the public”. |
| Having survived the Leveson process relatively unscathed, editorial confidence at the Mail and the Sun “is soaring”. Their editors feel “liberated” and the misfortune for the couple is “that news of their relationship has broken just as the tabloids are relishing their renewed sense of impunity”. | Having survived the Leveson process relatively unscathed, editorial confidence at the Mail and the Sun “is soaring”. Their editors feel “liberated” and the misfortune for the couple is “that news of their relationship has broken just as the tabloids are relishing their renewed sense of impunity”. |
| With Harry deemed to be “fair game for the kind of press behaviour that was supposed never to happen again”, the Guardian calls on the Independent Press Standards Organisation to show “that it is ready to prove its worth”. | With Harry deemed to be “fair game for the kind of press behaviour that was supposed never to happen again”, the Guardian calls on the Independent Press Standards Organisation to show “that it is ready to prove its worth”. |