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Prince Harry Compares the Media’s Treatment of Meghan Markle to that of his Late Mother, Princess Diana

Sussex Royal, Meghan and Harry

Photo: Instagram @sussexroyal

Prince Harry has issued a rare public statement on the media’s treatment of the Duchess of Sussex, saying he can no longer be a “silent witness to her private suffering”. The moves comes as Meghan begins legal proceedings against the publisher of the Mail On Sunday for publishing a handwritten letter to her estranged father.

The full statement, issued on the couple’s official website, emphasises their respect for “objective, truthful reporting”, and accuses parts of the press of “waging campaigns against individuals with no thought to the consequences.” Ultimately, he compared the current treatment of Meghan to the media’s treatment of his late mother, Princess Diana.

The Duke said his “deepest fear is history repeating itself”. “There comes a point when the only thing to do is to stand up to this behaviour, because it destroys people and destroys lives,” he wrote. “Put simply, it is bullying, which scares and silences people. We all know this isn’t acceptable, at any level. We won’t and can’t believe in a world where there is no accountability for this. “Though this action may not be the safe one, it is the right one… I’ve seen what happens when someone I love is commoditised to the point that they are no longer treated or seen as a real person. I lost my mother and now I watch my wife falling victim to the same powerful forces.”

A spokesman for the newspaper stood by its reporting: “The Mail On Sunday stands by the story it published and will be defending this case vigorously. Specifically, we categorically deny that the Duchess’s letter was edited in any way that changed its meaning.”

The case, which is being privately funded by the couple, pending a court ruling will donate any proceeds from any damages to an anti-bullying charity.

The couple are currently on a 10-day tour of Africa.

Originally published on Vogue.co.uk

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