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| 'Wave of abuse': how Harry and Meghan endured media scrutiny | 'Wave of abuse': how Harry and Meghan endured media scrutiny |
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| “Since he was young, Prince Harry has been very aware of the warmth that has been extended to him by members of the public.” | “Since he was young, Prince Harry has been very aware of the warmth that has been extended to him by members of the public.” |
| That was the start of the statement that announced to the world in November 2016 that the prince was in a relationship with Meghan Markle, the Canada-based and Los Angeles-born actor. | That was the start of the statement that announced to the world in November 2016 that the prince was in a relationship with Meghan Markle, the Canada-based and Los Angeles-born actor. |
| However, rather than a heartwarming expression of his love for her, the statement was an unprecedented attack on the British press by the prince for its coverage and harassment of Markle. | However, rather than a heartwarming expression of his love for her, the statement was an unprecedented attack on the British press by the prince for its coverage and harassment of Markle. |
| Despite the fact that the couple’s relationship has played out in public over the subsequent year – with the prince and Markle offering just enough public appearances and comments to satisfy interest – this first statement highlighted his distaste for the media’s interest in his private life. | Despite the fact that the couple’s relationship has played out in public over the subsequent year – with the prince and Markle offering just enough public appearances and comments to satisfy interest – this first statement highlighted his distaste for the media’s interest in his private life. |
| The prince’s press secretary accused the media of introducing “racial overtones” into comment pieces on his relationship with Markle and claimed that she had been subjected to a “wave of abuse and harassment”. It added: “Prince Harry is worried about Ms Markle’s safety and is deeply disappointed that he has not been able to protect her.” | The prince’s press secretary accused the media of introducing “racial overtones” into comment pieces on his relationship with Markle and claimed that she had been subjected to a “wave of abuse and harassment”. It added: “Prince Harry is worried about Ms Markle’s safety and is deeply disappointed that he has not been able to protect her.” |
| As speculation about their relationship grew in the months before this statement, articles had included a Sun piece headlined “Harry girl’s on Pornhub”, which was about clips of Markle from the legal drama series Suits appearing on an adult website, and a comment in the Mail on Sunday by Rachel Johnson that said if the couple had children “the Windsors will thicken their watery, thin blue blood and Spencer pale skin and ginger hair with some rich and exotic DNA”. Markle’s father, Thomas, is white and her mother, Doria Ragland, is African American. Johnson denied the comment was racist, but the prince was upset. | As speculation about their relationship grew in the months before this statement, articles had included a Sun piece headlined “Harry girl’s on Pornhub”, which was about clips of Markle from the legal drama series Suits appearing on an adult website, and a comment in the Mail on Sunday by Rachel Johnson that said if the couple had children “the Windsors will thicken their watery, thin blue blood and Spencer pale skin and ginger hair with some rich and exotic DNA”. Markle’s father, Thomas, is white and her mother, Doria Ragland, is African American. Johnson denied the comment was racist, but the prince was upset. |
| His antipathy towards the media stems from his mother’s death, according to those who know the prince. Princess Diana died in August 1997 in a car crash in a Paris tunnel while she was being chased by paparazzi. The prince was just 12 at the time. | His antipathy towards the media stems from his mother’s death, according to those who know the prince. Princess Diana died in August 1997 in a car crash in a Paris tunnel while she was being chased by paparazzi. The prince was just 12 at the time. |
| Meghan Markle is an American actor, best known for her role in the hit series Suits. She has described herself as “an actress, a writer, the editor-in-chief of my lifestyle brand the Tig, a pretty good cook, and a firm believer in handwritten notes”. She has also campaigned for humanitarian causes. | Meghan Markle is an American actor, best known for her role in the hit series Suits. She has described herself as “an actress, a writer, the editor-in-chief of my lifestyle brand the Tig, a pretty good cook, and a firm believer in handwritten notes”. She has also campaigned for humanitarian causes. |
| The 36-year-old grew up in Los Angeles. She studied at a girls’ Roman Catholic college there before attending Northwestern University. Recently she has lived in Toronto. She is the daughter of a clinical therapist and a TV lighting designer. Markle has written about her mixed heritage, describing herself as “a strong, confident mixed-race woman”. She was married once before, to film producer Trevor Engelson, but the pair were divorced in 2013. | The 36-year-old grew up in Los Angeles. She studied at a girls’ Roman Catholic college there before attending Northwestern University. Recently she has lived in Toronto. She is the daughter of a clinical therapist and a TV lighting designer. Markle has written about her mixed heritage, describing herself as “a strong, confident mixed-race woman”. She was married once before, to film producer Trevor Engelson, but the pair were divorced in 2013. |
| Since news of her relationship with Prince Harry broke in 2016, she has closed her blog and given an interview in which she described the couple as “really happy and in love”. She said: “Nothing about me changed. I’ve never defined myself by my relationship.” She will become a duchess or princess when the couple wed. | Since news of her relationship with Prince Harry broke in 2016, she has closed her blog and given an interview in which she described the couple as “really happy and in love”. She said: “Nothing about me changed. I’ve never defined myself by my relationship.” She will become a duchess or princess when the couple wed. |
| As he became an adult, the prince increasingly found himself at the centre of the press’s attention. A series of his indiscretions made their way on to newspaper front pages - including lashing out at a photographer outside London’s Pangaea nightclub, dressing up aged 20 as a Nazi at a friend’s “colonial and native” fancy dress party, calling a fellow officer cadet at Sandhurst “our little Paki friend” and being photographed naked playing strip billiards in Las Vegas in 2012. | As he became an adult, the prince increasingly found himself at the centre of the press’s attention. A series of his indiscretions made their way on to newspaper front pages - including lashing out at a photographer outside London’s Pangaea nightclub, dressing up aged 20 as a Nazi at a friend’s “colonial and native” fancy dress party, calling a fellow officer cadet at Sandhurst “our little Paki friend” and being photographed naked playing strip billiards in Las Vegas in 2012. |
| The prince apologised for these incidents, but the blanket coverage in newspapers and online alongside the fact he and his brother were victims of phone hacking did nothing to improve his view of the press. | The prince apologised for these incidents, but the blanket coverage in newspapers and online alongside the fact he and his brother were victims of phone hacking did nothing to improve his view of the press. |
| As with other younger members of the royal family, the prince has tried to take more control of his communications and image with the general public – often using social media to bypass traditional media outlets. The statement criticising coverage of Markle was issued via Facebook and more details about their engagement were published on social media than in the statement to the press. | As with other younger members of the royal family, the prince has tried to take more control of his communications and image with the general public – often using social media to bypass traditional media outlets. The statement criticising coverage of Markle was issued via Facebook and more details about their engagement were published on social media than in the statement to the press. |
| Earlier this year, the prince made headlines around the world by giving an interview to the Telegraph’s Bryony Gordon in a podcast about the death of his mother and his mental health. It was a signal that the royal family were prepared to be more open than ever before, but only on their terms. | Earlier this year, the prince made headlines around the world by giving an interview to the Telegraph’s Bryony Gordon in a podcast about the death of his mother and his mental health. It was a signal that the royal family were prepared to be more open than ever before, but only on their terms. |
| “I have probably been very close to a complete breakdown on numerous occasions, when all sorts of grief and sort of lies and misconceptions and everything are coming to you from every angle,” he told the Telegraph’s Mad World podcast. | “I have probably been very close to a complete breakdown on numerous occasions, when all sorts of grief and sort of lies and misconceptions and everything are coming to you from every angle,” he told the Telegraph’s Mad World podcast. |
| There was another clash with the media when the Mail Online published photographs of the prince on a private beach in Jamaica while on holiday with Markle. The Independent Press Standards Organisation ruled that his privacy had been breached by the use of a long-lens camera. The prince encouraged the press regulator to order Mail Online to publish the ruling against it at the top of its website, which it did. | There was another clash with the media when the Mail Online published photographs of the prince on a private beach in Jamaica while on holiday with Markle. The Independent Press Standards Organisation ruled that his privacy had been breached by the use of a long-lens camera. The prince encouraged the press regulator to order Mail Online to publish the ruling against it at the top of its website, which it did. |
| Markle did not make her first comments about the relationship until September – 10 months after the initial statement – and they were not even seen together until 25 September, when they were photographed at the Invictus Games, a sporting event for injured soldiers set up by the prince. | Markle did not make her first comments about the relationship until September – 10 months after the initial statement – and they were not even seen together until 25 September, when they were photographed at the Invictus Games, a sporting event for injured soldiers set up by the prince. |
| The pair meet in London through friends and begin a relationship. | The pair meet in London through friends and begin a relationship. |
| News breaks that the prince and Markle are dating. | News breaks that the prince and Markle are dating. |
| Kensington Palace confirms in an unprecedented statement that they are dating. The prince attacks the media over its “abuse and harassment” of his girlfriend. | Kensington Palace confirms in an unprecedented statement that they are dating. The prince attacks the media over its “abuse and harassment” of his girlfriend. |
| Markle is spotted in London amid unconfirmed reports she is enjoying her first stay at Kensington Palace since the relationship was made public. | Markle is spotted in London amid unconfirmed reports she is enjoying her first stay at Kensington Palace since the relationship was made public. |
| Markle reportedly meets the Duchess of Cambridge and Princess Charlotte for the first time in London. | Markle reportedly meets the Duchess of Cambridge and Princess Charlotte for the first time in London. |
| The engagement looks set when Markle graces the cover of US magazine Vanity Fair and speaks openly about Harry for the first time, revealing: “We’re two people who are really happy and in love.” | The engagement looks set when Markle graces the cover of US magazine Vanity Fair and speaks openly about Harry for the first time, revealing: “We’re two people who are really happy and in love.” |
| Markle makes her first appearance at an official engagement attended by the prince when she attends the Invictus Games opening ceremony in Toronto, Canada – although the pair sit about 18 seats apart. | Markle makes her first appearance at an official engagement attended by the prince when she attends the Invictus Games opening ceremony in Toronto, Canada – although the pair sit about 18 seats apart. |
| It emerges that the prince has taken Markle to meet his grandmother, the Queen, whose permission they need to marry. They met over afternoon tea at Buckingham Palace. | It emerges that the prince has taken Markle to meet his grandmother, the Queen, whose permission they need to marry. They met over afternoon tea at Buckingham Palace. |
| The prince’s aides are reported to have been told to start planning for a royal wedding, with senior members of the royal family asked to look at their diaries to shortlist a series of suitable weekends in 2018. | The prince’s aides are reported to have been told to start planning for a royal wedding, with senior members of the royal family asked to look at their diaries to shortlist a series of suitable weekends in 2018. |
| Markle is spotted in London, prompting speculation she is preparing for an engagement announcement. | Markle is spotted in London, prompting speculation she is preparing for an engagement announcement. |
| Clarence House announces the engagement, and the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh say they are “delighted for the couple and wish them every happiness”. | Clarence House announces the engagement, and the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh say they are “delighted for the couple and wish them every happiness”. |
| Markle’s comments were made to Vanity Fair magazine, rather than UK newspapers. She revealed they had met in London through friends in July 2016 and were now really happy and in love. She said scrutiny of the couple since their relationship became public had its challenges but that she had not changed. “We’re a couple. We’re in love,” she said. “I’m sure there will be a time when we will have to come forward and present ourselves and have stories to tell, but I hope what people will understand is that this is our time.” | Markle’s comments were made to Vanity Fair magazine, rather than UK newspapers. She revealed they had met in London through friends in July 2016 and were now really happy and in love. She said scrutiny of the couple since their relationship became public had its challenges but that she had not changed. “We’re a couple. We’re in love,” she said. “I’m sure there will be a time when we will have to come forward and present ourselves and have stories to tell, but I hope what people will understand is that this is our time.” |
| The moment to present their stories has now arrived. However, the prince and Markle still seem determined to do it on their own terms. Photographs of the engaged couple were taken in an carefully organised photocall and the only interview they gave was to the BBC’s Mishal Husain, which was then shared with other broadcasters. | The moment to present their stories has now arrived. However, the prince and Markle still seem determined to do it on their own terms. Photographs of the engaged couple were taken in an carefully organised photocall and the only interview they gave was to the BBC’s Mishal Husain, which was then shared with other broadcasters. |
| Nonetheless, as their own relationship takes the next step, so will their relationship with the media. | Nonetheless, as their own relationship takes the next step, so will their relationship with the media. |
| Prince Harry | Prince Harry |
| Monarchy | Monarchy |
| Meghan Markle | Meghan Markle |
| analysis | analysis |
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