By James Simons-
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have told the editors of British tabloid newspapers that they will never again deal with the news outlets, in an unprecedented direct attack on the mainstream press, establishing an ongoing and probably irreversible feud with the British press.
On Sunday night Prince Harry and Meghan Markle sent a letter to the editors of the Sun, Daily Mail, Mirror and Express, making it clear that they would no longer respond to any inquiries from journalists working for the outlets. The former royals said there will be a policy of “zero engagement”, except when necessary through the couple’s lawyers. The duke and duchess said they refused to “offer themselves up as currency for an economy of clickbait and distortion” and accused the outlets of running stories that are “distorted, false, or invasive beyond reason”.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle expressed their views to the editors that a free press is a cornerstone to any democracy that can “shine light on dark places, telling stories that would otherwise go untold, standing up for what’s right, challenging power, and holding those who abuse the system to account”.
However, they added that : “It is gravely concerning that an influential slice of the media, over many years, has sought to insulate themselves from taking accountability for what they say or print – even when they know it to be distorted, false, or invasive beyond reason. When power is enjoyed without responsibility, the trust we all place in this much-needed industry is degraded.
Human Cost
“There is a real human cost to this way of doing business and it affects every corner of society. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have watched people they know – as well as complete strangers – have their lives completely pulled apart for no good reason, other than the fact that salacious gossip boosts advertising revenue.”
Addressing the editors directly, the letter continues:
“With that said, please note that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will not be engaging with your outlet. There will be no corroboration and zero engagement. This is also a policy being instated for their communications team, in order to protect that team from the side of the industry that readers never see.
“This policy is not about avoiding criticism. It’s not about shutting down public conversation or censoring accurate reporting. Media have every right to report on and indeed have an opinion on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, good or bad. But it can’t be based on a lie.” The couple’s representatives said they are happy to engage with other outlets, especially grassroots and new media outlets, “to spotlight issues and causes that so desperately need acknowledging … What they won’t do is offer themselves up as currency for an economy of clickbait and distortion.”
It is not clear what sparked the latest communication to the British press completely drawing a line over their relationship.