Harry, Meghan and the Media

Why did the coverage of Meghan Markle turn so sour, so quickly? Why is Prince Harry taking on the press? Allegations of sexism, racism and strategic leaks – we examine them all.

Why do you think what you think about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle? Why did the coverage of Meghan Markle turn so sour, so quickly? Why did the story turn from the fairy tale wedding of a Prince and his new type of Princess, to a tale of so-called ‘duelling duchesses’? In this series, you’ll hear from the people who wrote this very modern drama: the reporters, columnists and broadcasters who shape public opinion on royalty. Allegations of sexism, racism, strategic leaks – we examine them all.

When Harry and Meghan announced they were stepping down as senior members of the Royal Family, they said it was partly in order to have a new relationship with the press. They made clear that sexism and racism in the media coverage also played a role.

Now Prince Harry is taking on the press in the courts too, he’s suing two of Britain’s newspaper groups, alleging unlawful information gathering and a breach of privacy. Meghan Markle’s privacy claim against the Mail on Sunday is still making headlines. These law suits could end up with some of the biggest trials of our age and could significantly change the media landscape. How did we get here and what does it tells us about Britain today?