Prince Harry Says 'It's Still Dangerous' To Bring Meghan To The U.K. As Intense Tabloid Scrutiny Continues

Talking with ITV for its documentary, Prince Harry shared concerns about bringing Meghan back to the UK, citing intense tabloid scrutiny and safety risks, prioritizing his family's protection.

Updated on Jul 26, 2024  |  09:10 AM IST |  37.9K
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle (Getty Images)

Prince Harry refuses to risk his family's safety merely for the chance to live in his home country.

The Duke of Sussex, in his ITV interview for the documentary Tabloids on Trial, which aired in the U.K. on Thursday, July 25, said, “It's still dangerous” for his wife to go back to his country amid the intense tabloid coverage of the couple. He expressed, “All it takes is one lone actor, one person who reads this stuff [negative press coverage], to act on what they have read... and whether it’s a knife or acid, whatever it is. These are things that are of genuine concern for me. It's one of the reasons why I won't bring my wife to this country.”

For the record, Markle and Harry moved to California in 2020 after stepping down from their royal roles. While the latter makes frequent trips to his homeland, Markle has only visited the U.K. a handful of times since then, with her most recent being her attendance at Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in 2022.

Prince Harry won't bring his family back to the U.K. — He explains why!

Amid reports of the Sussexes' house hunting in the U.K., Harry told ITV on Thursday that moving his family back to his country is “not going to work if we can't keep them safe while they are here.”

The prince also believes that anything he says about his family leads to a flood of abuse from the press, which increases the risk to his family’s safety.

Regarding why he took the Mirror Group Newspapers to court, Harry said he did so because he was pushed to his limit. “It got to a point where you're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't. But I think there’s nobody in the world better suited and placed to be able to see this through than myself,” the Spare author said.

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Prince Harry came out victorious against the publisher last year when a London HC judge ruled that his phone was likely hacked to a modest extent by the company between 2006 and 2011. The two parties settled the legal feud this year, with the publisher agreeing to cover Harry’s legal costs and damages, as well as award him an interim payment of approximately $505,000 for invading his privacy, per his attorney David Sherborne.

ALSO READ: Prince Harry 'wanted out' from the Royal family even before he met Meghan Markle? Find out

Differing stances on media scrutiny deepened the royal rift

Prince Harry’s clash with the British tabloids also affected his relationship with his dad, King Charles III, and brother Prince William. He told ITV that the royal family’s unwillingness to push back against the invading British press is a “central piece” of their rift. “I've made it clear that this is something that needs to be done; it would be nice if we did it as a family.” 

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He added, “For me, the mission continues, but yes, it's caused part of the rift.”

The Duke, however, had the support of his grandma, the late Queen, as he revealed in the documentary that the duo had multiple conversations on the subject while she was alive. “This is very much something she supported. She knew how much this meant to me,” he recalled. “She’s very much up there saying, ‘See this through to the end,’ without question.”

ALSO READ: Former Royal Staffer Alleges Prince William Is Stopping King Charles From Reuniting With Younger Son Prince Harry

FAQ

Did Queen Elizabeth II support Prince Harry in his fight against the press?
According to Prince Harry, Queen Elizabeth II supported his stance on addressing media scrutiny. He revealed that they had multiple conversations on the subject, and she encouraged him to see it through to the end.

How has Prince Harry's relationship with his family been affected by media scrutiny?
Harry has expressed frustration with the royal family's unwillingness to push back against invasive press coverage, which he views as a central piece of their rift.

Has Meghan Markle visited the UK since moving to California?
Since moving to California, Meghan Markle has only visited the UK a few times, with her most recent visit being for Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral service in 2022.

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