Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to cut Tabloid Ties with Four UK Newspapers

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, have told four of the UK’s tabloid press they are ending all co-operation with them. 

A REPRESENTATIVE for the couple said that letters had been sent to editors of the Sun, Mirror, Mail, and Express to inform that the pair had taken the step due to “distorted, false or invasive” stories.

The ban applies to the selected newspapers websites also, Harry and Meghan said they refused to “offer themselves up as currency for an economy of clickbait and distortion.”

Sunday editions and associated websites of the above newspapers are included in the ban. In the letter, the couple’s public relations representative wrote it was “gravely concerning that an influential slice of the media” has printed “distorted, false or invasive” articles.

“There is a real human cost to this way of doing business and it affects every corner of society,” the letter said.

“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.”

The ban on co-operation with the papers will mean that the couple’s PR team will no longer even answer calls from the papers asking them to confirm whether claims made about the couple are true or not.

Outlining the new policy of “no corroboration and zero engagement” with all the publications that received it, the letter said the measure would also protect the couple’s communications team “from the side of the industry that readers never see, this policy is not about avoiding criticism,” the letter continued.

“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 letter also said the couple will continue to work with other media and “young, up-and-coming journalists” to raise awareness of the issues and causes they care about.