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Harry and Meghan Cut Off U.K. Tabloids Harry and Meghan Cut Off U.K. Tabloids
(2 days later)
LONDON — Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, have all but vanished from the headlines in a world consumed by a catastrophic pandemic. But that did not stop the newly independent couple from notifying four leading British tabloid publishers on Sunday that they would no longer deal with them.LONDON — Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, have all but vanished from the headlines in a world consumed by a catastrophic pandemic. But that did not stop the newly independent couple from notifying four leading British tabloid publishers on Sunday that they would no longer deal with them.
It was another bitter twist in the poisonous relationship between the couple and the tabloid press, which chronicled the couple’s courtship and then their falling-out with the royal family with equal relish. But it drew immediate derision from many in the British news media as being ill timed, self-centered and self-defeating.It was another bitter twist in the poisonous relationship between the couple and the tabloid press, which chronicled the couple’s courtship and then their falling-out with the royal family with equal relish. But it drew immediate derision from many in the British news media as being ill timed, self-centered and self-defeating.
A letter to the editors of the four tabloids — The Sun, The Daily Mirror, The Daily Mail and The Daily Express — said that Harry and Meghan, who have relocated to Los Angeles and are embarking on new lives as private citizens, would no longer engage with them, while insisting that they were not trying to shut down critical coverage.A letter to the editors of the four tabloids — The Sun, The Daily Mirror, The Daily Mail and The Daily Express — said that Harry and Meghan, who have relocated to Los Angeles and are embarking on new lives as private citizens, would no longer engage with them, while insisting that they were not trying to shut down critical coverage.
“What they won’t do is offer themselves up as currency for an economy of clickbait and distortion,” the letter said. It accused the papers of reporting material about them that was “distorted, false, or invasive beyond reason.”“What they won’t do is offer themselves up as currency for an economy of clickbait and distortion,” the letter said. It accused the papers of reporting material about them that was “distorted, false, or invasive beyond reason.”
The move appeared timed to a hearing this week in a lawsuit Meghan filed against the publisher of The Mail on Sunday, the sister paper of The Daily Mail, for publishing a private letter that she had sent to her father, Thomas Markle. The Mail reveled in covering Meghan’s turbulent relationship with her father, and the issue cast a shadow over her wedding in 2018.The move appeared timed to a hearing this week in a lawsuit Meghan filed against the publisher of The Mail on Sunday, the sister paper of The Daily Mail, for publishing a private letter that she had sent to her father, Thomas Markle. The Mail reveled in covering Meghan’s turbulent relationship with her father, and the issue cast a shadow over her wedding in 2018.
Prince Harry has had his own toxic relationship with the tabloids, even blaming their hounding of his mother, Diana, princess of Wales, for her death in a car accident in 1997. He is separately suing The Sun and The Daily Mirror over accusations that they hacked his cellphones, a case that dates back to the early 2000s.Prince Harry has had his own toxic relationship with the tabloids, even blaming their hounding of his mother, Diana, princess of Wales, for her death in a car accident in 1997. He is separately suing The Sun and The Daily Mirror over accusations that they hacked his cellphones, a case that dates back to the early 2000s.
In the letter, Harry and Meghan, also known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, recapitulated many of the grievances that they have expressed against the tabloids for years. They condemned those papers for being irresponsible and unaccountable and for pulling people’s lives apart “for no good reason, other than the fact that salacious gossip boosts advertising revenue.”In the letter, Harry and Meghan, also known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, recapitulated many of the grievances that they have expressed against the tabloids for years. They condemned those papers for being irresponsible and unaccountable and for pulling people’s lives apart “for no good reason, other than the fact that salacious gossip boosts advertising revenue.”
“Media have every right to report on and indeed have an opinion on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, good or bad,” the letter said. “But it can’t be based on a lie.”“Media have every right to report on and indeed have an opinion on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, good or bad,” the letter said. “But it can’t be based on a lie.”
When the couple first announced plans to step back from royal life in January, they served notice that they would boycott the Royal Rota, the press pool that covers the activities of the royal family. The pool includes broadcasters like the BBC and broadsheet papers like The Times of London, but the tabloids, with their huge circulations and ravenous interest in the royal family, are key members.When the couple first announced plans to step back from royal life in January, they served notice that they would boycott the Royal Rota, the press pool that covers the activities of the royal family. The pool includes broadcasters like the BBC and broadsheet papers like The Times of London, but the tabloids, with their huge circulations and ravenous interest in the royal family, are key members.
The latest move seems intended to cut the tabloids out of the couple’s new life in Los Angeles, where they are searching for a house and where Meghan, who had a career as a television actress, is trying to get back into show business.The latest move seems intended to cut the tabloids out of the couple’s new life in Los Angeles, where they are searching for a house and where Meghan, who had a career as a television actress, is trying to get back into show business.
When they handed out food in Los Angeles at Easter, they received largely favorable coverage in The Daily Mail and The Sun. The Mail quoted residents as saying the couple were “really down to earth” and reported that one woman burst into tears when she recognized them.When they handed out food in Los Angeles at Easter, they received largely favorable coverage in The Daily Mail and The Sun. The Mail quoted residents as saying the couple were “really down to earth” and reported that one woman burst into tears when she recognized them.
Now, though, it appears that the tabloids will not be allowed into their events or given handouts of photographs. The letter also made clear that the couple’s communications staff would not provide any guidance to reporters from those papers, a time-honored way of transmitting information about the royals.Now, though, it appears that the tabloids will not be allowed into their events or given handouts of photographs. The letter also made clear that the couple’s communications staff would not provide any guidance to reporters from those papers, a time-honored way of transmitting information about the royals.
As they moved to Los Angeles, with an interim stop in Victoria, Canada, Prince Harry and Meghan laid off their staff at Buckingham Palace. The couple have also hired Sunshine Sachs, a Hollywood public relations firm, to handle their image. And they wound down their charitable foundation, SussexRoyal, and are starting a new one, called Archewell.As they moved to Los Angeles, with an interim stop in Victoria, Canada, Prince Harry and Meghan laid off their staff at Buckingham Palace. The couple have also hired Sunshine Sachs, a Hollywood public relations firm, to handle their image. And they wound down their charitable foundation, SussexRoyal, and are starting a new one, called Archewell.
Updated August 4, 2020 Updated August 6, 2020
With their global celebrity, analysts said, Harry and Meghan appear to be calculating that they will still get plenty of news coverage from other outlets. But some royal watchers said that they would come to regret their feud with the tabloids, given the newspapers’ power and the fact that so many Britons still got their news about the royal family from those publications.With their global celebrity, analysts said, Harry and Meghan appear to be calculating that they will still get plenty of news coverage from other outlets. But some royal watchers said that they would come to regret their feud with the tabloids, given the newspapers’ power and the fact that so many Britons still got their news about the royal family from those publications.
“If those British tabloids were to stop writing about them tomorrow, they would lose their relevance in the U.K.,” Penny Junor, a journalist and royal biographer, said. “How will they feel if nobody is covering their new foundation, or the fact that they’re delivering food parcels to the poor in L.A.?”“If those British tabloids were to stop writing about them tomorrow, they would lose their relevance in the U.K.,” Penny Junor, a journalist and royal biographer, said. “How will they feel if nobody is covering their new foundation, or the fact that they’re delivering food parcels to the poor in L.A.?”
“They are poking the bear,” she added, “and you don’t poke the bear. This is a very powerful bear.”“They are poking the bear,” she added, “and you don’t poke the bear. This is a very powerful bear.”
The couple handed the tabloids a weapon by lashing out now, when Britain is in a desperate phase of its battle against the coronavirus, with at least 16,000 deaths as of Monday. Harry’s father, Prince Charles, was among those struck by the illness; his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, rallied the nation in a rare television address.The couple handed the tabloids a weapon by lashing out now, when Britain is in a desperate phase of its battle against the coronavirus, with at least 16,000 deaths as of Monday. Harry’s father, Prince Charles, was among those struck by the illness; his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, rallied the nation in a rare television address.
“As thousands die and Britain fights for its economic life,” The Daily Mail said on its website on Monday, “L.A.-based Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announce they won’t deal with the country’s most popular newspapers.”“As thousands die and Britain fights for its economic life,” The Daily Mail said on its website on Monday, “L.A.-based Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announce they won’t deal with the country’s most popular newspapers.”
Andrew Neil, a BBC host, said on Twitter, “As the world grapples with Covid-19, do they really think people care what media they deal with? Can’t they just consign themselves to oblivion for a while?”Andrew Neil, a BBC host, said on Twitter, “As the world grapples with Covid-19, do they really think people care what media they deal with? Can’t they just consign themselves to oblivion for a while?”
Kevin Maguire, an associate editor at The Daily Mirror, also posted a response on Twitter. “Sorry we’re a little busy at the moment,” he wrote.Kevin Maguire, an associate editor at The Daily Mirror, also posted a response on Twitter. “Sorry we’re a little busy at the moment,” he wrote.
The couple’s timing was clumsy in another respect. By releasing the letter as late as they did on Sunday, they guaranteed that the British papers will cover it on Tuesday, which is the queen’s 94th birthday.The couple’s timing was clumsy in another respect. By releasing the letter as late as they did on Sunday, they guaranteed that the British papers will cover it on Tuesday, which is the queen’s 94th birthday.