After tuning the British gutter press last week, Prince William has joined forces with his brother, Harry, to call out a “false story” that was circulated in the Sunday papers. The royal pair issued a prompt address, which berated the idea that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were “bullied” out of the royal family.
Prince William and Harry issue joint-statement
Harry and Meghan made the shock decision to “step down” as official members of the monarchy last week, sparking a divide in public opinion. By this we mean: Most people were happy to let them live their lives how they want to, and others decided to make an issue out of something that doesn’t affect them in any way, shape or form.
Speaking on Monday 13 January, Harry and William said that the language used in the article was “harmful”, and undermined the work both princes were doing to help mental health charities. Unsurprisingly, the piece was published by The Daily Mail. We’ll say nothing more on the matter…
“Despite clear denials, a false story ran in a UK newspaper today speculating about the relationship between the Duke of Sussex and the Duke of Cambridge”
“For brothers who care so deeply about the issues surrounding mental health, the use of inflammatory language in this way is offensive and potentially harmful.”
Joint-statement from Prince William and Harry
Harry vs the press
The pair haven’t exactly put on much of a united front in recent times, but they’ve pulled together when it matters. The young royals know all to well how destructive the media’s influence can be on their family after they lost their mother, Princess Diana, in 1997. The former princess was blighted by an obsessive and intrusive paparazzi corps. Just last week, Prince Harry shared his stinging criticism of the British media here:
“The misconception that UK ‘Royal Correspondents’ are credible sources of the Royal Family propels coverage that is often carried by other outlets around the world, which amplifies frequent misreporting. Regrettably, stories that may have been filed accurately by Royal Correspondents are, also, often edited or rewritten by media editorial teams to present false impressions.”
Harry and Meghan’s takedown of the press
A joint statement from the spokespeople of Prince William and Prince Harry: pic.twitter.com/H8hqYCHirK
— Omid Scobie (@scobie) January 13, 2020
