Seen from the other side of the pond, he was simply surreal: sixth in line on the British throne in a revealing interview with Oprah Winfrey, even showing off her pet hens. His wife explained how royal life led her to contemplate suicide and claimed that at least one member of the royal family raised “concerns” about her son’s skin color.
But another revelation drew less attention: Harry’s claim that his family is afraid of the powerful British tabloid newspapers. He described to Winfrey “what is called or refers to the ‘invisible contract’ behind closed doors, between the institution and the tabloids, the tabloids of the United Kingdom.”
How is it? “Well, to put it simply, this is a case if, as a family member, you are willing to wine, dine and give full access to these reporters, you will get better press,” he said. “It’s really a cheating environment.”
The tabloid newspapers dominate British public life, shaping public opinion and giving its owners an impressive influence.
“When the newspapers decide your time has come, you’re toasting,” said James O’Brien, a radio presenter who enjoys putting himself under the skin of the British establishment.
Correspondent Holly Williams asked, “What power do British tabloid newspapers have?”
“His power is almost absolute,” O’Brien replied. “They put prime ministers at the top of power. And they lead the mother of all popularity contests.”
“Are councilors politically?”
“Wow, no doubt.”
The tabloids love the royal family because their glamor and scandals sell daily, and the royal family needs positive coverage to justify their own existence, partly paid for by the British taxpayer.
O’Brien said, “They’re birds in a golden cage, and if they make enemies of the tabloids, the tabloids don’t stop writing about it, they stop writing good things.”
All royal families face criticism from the tabloids and sometimes harassment. Even the queen was accused of not showing enough compassion after the death of Princess Diana. But there was a racial element in the Duchess of Sussex’s coverage, a bit blatant.
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“I accept that the institution would have been alien to him,” said Kelvin MacKenzie, who used to be editor of one of Britain’s best-selling tabloids, The Sun. She said it wasn’t a race but Meghan’s behavior that made her unpopular. For one thing, she told Williams, family members are supposed to be apolitical and she was too opinionated.
He said: “I think we’ve now reached a point where people don’t want to read good news about Meghan.”
“So she’s so unpopular that the media knows people just want to hear negative things about her?” Williams asked.
“They just want bad news.”
“And so, do they give it to the public?”
“Give it to them, yes.”
Others here believe that, consciously or not, the British tabloids and some parts of the British establishment could not accept an American biracial at the top of the British class system.
Dawn Butler, a Member of Parliament, said of the tabloids: “I think they have shown their true colors. They have shown that they have a bias and they have shown that they are racist in their reports, we know that.”
Williams asked, “Why did they go looking for her?”
“Because they can,” she replied. “The tabloid press is chasing us all.”
Butler told us that she herself has been harassed by the tabloids. What worries her most, she said, is Meghan’s allegation that the palace didn’t defend her when fake stories were printed, including that she made her sister-in-law Kate cry.
Butler said, “Was the relationship between the two institutions so close that, instead of calling out the truth, they decided to perpetuate a lie?”
The Duchess now admits that when she married her fairy-tale prince, she did not understand the institution she was marrying or her complicated connection to the media.
According to James O’Brien, “You’re supposed to know your site. People who refuse to recognize your site, [or] they don’t know their place, I think it’s a bit like painting a target on your back. “
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Story produced by Erin Lyall. Editor: Mark Ludlow.