Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has once again found himself at the centre of media attention following his recent interview as part of "Tabloids on Trial," an ITV documentary on phone hacking and tabloid intrusion.
The royal's candid discussion has reignited debates about the press and the ongoing rift within the Royal Family.
Harry's revelations have also shed new light on the challenges faced by public figures in maintaining their privacy and mental health in the face of intense media scrutiny. Here are my top five takeaways from his interview:
Prince Harry is still very affected
Harry has spoken about the paranoia, fear and distrust caused by tabloid intrusion into his relationships, particularly with former girlfriend Chelsy Davy.
He revealed how headlines suggesting relationship troubles "put a strain on our relationship" and created an atmosphere of suspicion around those close to them.
Prince Harry described an incident in which he remembers trying to get in a car and being hit over the head with a camera, while his security tried and failed to hold back the paparazzi.
He also recalls how awful he felt when he saw stories about his drinking and drug use show up in the press, stories he says could only have been gathered using unlawful means.
It's clear that this has stayed with him and remains to be the motivation behind his mission to hold accountable the tabloids that used these methods.
Effect on others
Singer Charlotte Church, former footballer Paul Gascoigne, actor Hugh Grant and former prime minister Gordon Brown have talked about the effect that tabloid intrusion had on their lives.
Church was only a teenager when the hacking started and said the papers portrayed her as a tearaway, when in fact she was just a normal teenager.
She described the effect this had on her mother who, after the tabloids used illegal means to discover her suicide attempt, has never been the same.
Gascoigne was emotional as he described the paranoia that phone hacking induced and the devastating effect it has had on his relationships. At one point, he had six mobile phones and would change his number every few days. If he felt his mobile phones weren't safe, he would check into a hotel room to use the phone.
He believed his parents were selling stories about their conversations with him to the press, which only fuelled his paranoia and isolation.
Prince Harry may be the most famous victim of phone hacking but it's clear that all claimants suffered with the effects that illegal gathering of information brought to their lives.
Diana, Princess of Wales
Prince Harry has challenged the notion that his mother, Diana, was paranoid in her final years.
He asserts that Diana's concerns about media intrusion were well founded, stating, "She wasn't paranoid, she was absolutely right about what was happening to her."
This perspective contrasts with Prince William's earlier statement, which suggested that the BBC's actions had contributed to Diana's "fear, paranoia and isolation" in her final years.
Harry has revealed that there is evidence suggesting Princess Diana was one of the first victims of phone hacking in the mid-1990s. Although never proven in court, Harry's lawyers have alleged that editors from the Daily Mirror hacked Diana's voicemails to obtain information about her secret meetings with comedian Michael Barrymore.
In one instance, Diana expressed devastation when details of her supposedly secret meetings were published, writing to Barrymore, "Nobody knew about our conversations."
The legacy of Diana's experiences with the media has had a lasting impact on the Royal Family's relationship with the press.
Both Prince William and Prince Harry have called for higher standards in journalism following investigations into unethical practices. Harry decided to take this a step further and file legal action against British tabloids, citing this as a "central piece" in the deterioration of his relationship with his family in the U.K.
He believes that addressing these issues is necessary for the "greater good" and has expressed a desire for his family to unite in this effort.
Rift in his family
Prince Harry has shed light on the complex dynamics within the Royal Family, particularly his strained relationships with his brother, Prince William, and father, King Charles III.
Harry has stated that his family's unwillingness to address the media's behaviour has been a significant source of tension.
Prince Harry has also acknowledged that these legal battles have taken a toll on his family.
"Yeah, that's certainly a central piece to it," he said. "But, you know, that's a hard question to answer because anything I say about my family results in a torrent of abuse from the press. I've made it very clear that this is something that needs to be done. It'd be nice if we did it as a family. I believe, again, from a service standpoint and when you're in a public role that these are the things that we should be doing for the greater good. But, you know, I'm doing this for my reasons."
He also says that his decision to continue his legal battles, even though his father and sister-in-law are in ill health, are two separate issues and he must continue his mission.
Prince Harry believes his beloved granny, Queen Elizabeth II, is cheering him on and encouraging him to see this through to the end.
The Duke of Sussex has also mentioned feeling misunderstood and unsupported in his efforts to protect his wife, Meghan Markle, from the intense media scrutiny she faced.
He believes that the media's intrusive practices, such as phone hacking and publishing private information, have not only affected his relationships but also influenced his family's perception of him and Meghan. The prince has expressed concern that some family members may have been swayed by negative press coverage, further straining their relationships.
Prince Harry has also alleged the existence of a "secret agreement" between the Royal Family and News Group Newspapers. According to Harry, this deal was designed to prevent Royal Family members from appearing in court for phone-hacking cases and to avoid public confrontations with powerful media groups. The prince claims that Queen Elizabeth II, Prince William and senior courtiers knew about this arrangement.
The alleged agreement stipulated that royal victims of phone hacking would receive settlements and apologies only after all other phone-hacking cases had concluded. Harry suggests that this deal is one of the reasons he delayed filing legal proceedings against News Group Newspapers until 2019.
This revelation has raised questions about the relationship between the monarchy and the press, and how different family members have approached media-related issues.
It also highlights the potential conflicts between maintaining a positive public image and addressing personal grievances against media intrusion.
'The mission continues'
Prince Harry's determination to hold tabloid newspapers accountable has become a central focus of his public life.
The Duke of Sussex has engaged in a series of legal battles against British media outlets, citing privacy breaches and illegal information gathering. His recent victory against Mirror Group Newspapers in December 2023 has been a significant milestone in this mission.
Harry described the High Court ruling as a "monumental victory," vindicating his four-year legal struggle against the publisher.
He has cases against News Group Newspapers and Associated Newspapers in the coming months, and believes that taking a stand against press intrusion is crucial for those in public roles.
He stated, "I've made it very clear that this is something that needs to be done."
The prince emphasised the distinction between public interest and what merely interests the public, arguing that many tabloid stories about his private life have "no public interest whatsoever."
His efforts aim to protect not only his own privacy but also set a precedent for others facing similar intrusions.
Despite the personal cost, Harry remains committed, stating, "For me, the mission continues."
