Prince Harry’s Tensions with the UK Media Continue Amid Return
Prince Harry has consistently claimed that the U.K. media contributed significantly to the challenges that led him and Meghan Markle to step away from royal duties. As they have returned to the U.K., those issues seem to be resurfacing, particularly with a recent tabloid front page story about Harry’s relationship with King Charles III.
In a recent development, the couple achieved a correction from the Daily Mail in August regarding a fabricated story about their interactions with celebrity friends. Now, a front-page story in the Daily Mirror is indicated by Newsweek to contain inaccuracies.
The Daily Mirror, which Harry had previously sued over phone-hacking allegations, published a headline claiming “Harry and King have not spoken,” with a subheading reading: “Prince yet to call Charles two weeks after he moved back to the U.K.” However, Newsweek reports that Charles and Harry did converse in the week following the Sussexes’ relocation to Britain.
Why It Matters
Harry and Meghan’s return to the U.K. is at a nascent stage, yet an essential test of reintegration will be how they address the media tensions that originally prompted their move to America. These tensions include strained relationships with family and palace staff, alongside media criticism, which they previously claimed was driven by hidden motives.
The latest media coverage coincides with separate issues between the Sussexes and Buckingham Palace over a letter from the head of the Royal Household, confirming their status as non-working royals. The Mirror reported Harry had not “scheduled a call” with Charles since moving back, noting the king had been in Scotland during that period. The article insinuated continuing tension within Harry’s family, reportedly unaware of his reasons for returning from California.
According to Newsweek, Harry indeed spoke with his father during his first week back. There’s no sign of a formal complaint from the Sussexes regarding the story.
However, the couple did contest a Mail story alleging they spent time with Geri Horner, a former Spice Girl, and Christian Horner, former head of the Red Bull Formula One team. The Mail’s correction stated:
“An article published on 24 August wrongly claimed that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had visited Geri and Christian Horner at their home while visiting Britain in July, that the couples had discussed the Sussexes’ return to Britain, that Prince Harry had been in regular contact with Christian Horner, and that the Duke and Duchess had developed a close friendship with the Horners. We have removed the article and are happy to correct the record.”
Relations with the Palace
The recent disagreement with the Mirror followed a day after tensions with the palace emerged over a letter sent by King Charles’ behalf to British government officials and military representatives, known as Lords-Lieutenant.
The letter affirmed the Sussexes are non-working royals, with their HRH titles in abeyance, instructing dignitaries to abstain from using those titles when referring to the couple. The memo’s circulation on Monday surprised the couple, whose team was informed around an hour before the media release. There had been a request from the Sussexes to edit a particular line in the letter, asking for the description of them as “public figures” instead of “private citizens.” However, that modification was not accomplished.
The letter stated: “Their styles as His and Her Royal Highness remain in abeyance and are not used. The charitable work of the Duke and Duchess is a personal matter for them both and undertaken in their private capacity. In short, their position is akin to private citizens with commercial and charitable interests.”
Contact Newsweek’s editors on this story: Dan Orton and Tony Phillips.
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