Prince Harry is giving the British media the ‘cold royal shoulder’ ahead of the wedding

May 2, 2018

For years now, I’ve believed that Prince William is the Wales brother who hates the press more. William’s tangles with the press are no secret – he actively tries to “stick it to them” whenever possible, and I tend to believe the week-long wait for Prince Louis’s name was part of his prickly-with-the-media campaign. But it’s past time for me to acknowledge that Prince Harry has the same kinds of feelings, and that he absolutely loathes the media too. I thought/hoped that Meghan Markle’s entrance into the royal fold would help matters: she’s an actress, she understands the give-and-take of being a celebrity/public figure, she knows how to give an interview. But I think Meghan’s entrance has actually made Harry more reticent towards the press, because he hates the way the British press treats Meghan.

So… no surprise, Kensington Palace announced this week that media outlets would be very restricted in their access close to and within St. George’s Chapel for Meghan and Harry’s wedding. One reporter – ONE! – will be allowed inside the chapel. Four photojournalists will get positions just outside the chapel. The rest will have to take positions along the route. Which has led to the NY Times writing an article about how Harry has been giving the media the “cold royal shoulder” ahead of the wedding:

Some highlights, via International Business Times:

Harry’s relationship with the British media has changed over the years, says Arthur Edwards, a photographer for The Sun. During a recent interview with The New York Times, Edwards said that Prince Harry has become withdrawn because he is generally upset with them. The photographer said that he initially thought Prince Harry would be in a forgiving mood on his wedding day, but it seems this won’t be the case.

On Tuesday, the Kensington Palace confirmed that only one reporter will be allowed to enter St. George’s Chapel to cover the royal wedding. Four photojournalists will be given coveted spots outside the chapel. A rep for the palace said the place is small and Prince Harry and Markle’s wedding is not a state occasion.

Edwards told the publication that he thinks it was Prince Harry who made the decision regarding the media.

“I can’t imagine the press officer advising that to the prince. He and Meghan have seen what’s been written and said, ‘We don’t want anyone near the wedding.’ That’s a clear message, yeah,” he said. Markle has not been treated well by the media. Ever since it was revealed that she and Prince Harry were dating, some publications criticized her for being a biracial American who is also divorced. Multiple news companies have also released interviews with Markle’s family members.

But the feud between Prince Harry and the British media started even before he started dating Markle. In fact, the royal family has been at odds with the media throughout the past couple of years. A senior journalist said, “They actually hate the British press. That’s probably a fair summary.” More specifically, the unnamed journalist said Princes William and Harry are more affected by the British media because they are thin-skinned compared to other members of the royal family.

One former palace aide defended the royal family and said the media has been releasing controversial stories as revenge for reduced access.

“It’s like a graph of a share price: up and down, and up and down. What the media doesn’t like is a plateau,” the palace aide said.

[From IB Times]

Harry and William are, according to that unnamed journalist, “thin-skinned in a way that other members of the royal family are not.” True or false? I’m not sure I would describe it as thin-skinned in Harry’s case. William is thin-skinned, absolutely. But Harry? With Harry, it feels like something else. I think Harry is genuinely appalled at how badly the British tabloids have treated Meghan, but obviously, there’s a lot of other stuff there. I’ve always felt like Charles and the Windsors encouraged William and Harry’s hatred of the media, and encouraged Harry and William to blame the media for Diana’s death. That way, Charles and the royal establishment wouldn’t have to acknowledge their own roles in Diana’s death. It’s all very Shakespearean, honestly.

Meanwhile, Meghan and Harry have announced which carriage they’ll be using on their wedding day: