The royal family has deleted a statement Prince Harry issued condemning the abuse and harassment faced by Meghan Markle after their relationship became public.
The couple married in May 2018 but stepped down from royal duties in 2020, relocating to California. Since quitting their roles as senior royals, the couple’s relationship with the royal family has soured, with the latest development showing how bad things have gotten.
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Prince Harry’s Rare Statement About Meghan Markle Deleted From Royal Website
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In November 2016, Harry’s communications secretary issued a rare declaration decrying the “wave of abuse and harassment” faced by his then-girlfriend Meghan Markle following the revelation of their relationship.
In the statement, which confirmed their romance, Harry’s spokesperson highlighted the mistreatment Meghan endured, stating: “His girlfriend, Meghan Markle, has been subject to a wave of abuse and harassment. Some of this has been very public — the smear on the front page of a national newspaper; the racial undertones of comment pieces; and the outright sexism and racism of social media trolls and web article comments.”
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The statement continued: “Some of it has been hidden from the public — the nightly legal battles to keep defamatory stories out of papers; her mother having to struggle past photographers in order to get to her front door; the attempts of reporters and photographers to gain illegal entry to her home and the calls to police that followed; the substantial bribes offered by papers to her ex-boyfriend; the bombardment of nearly every friend, co-worker, and loved one in her life.”
This statement had remained on the official British Royal Family website for years but has now been removed. According to Newsweek, the internet archive Wayback Machine could access the link on December 3, 2023. However, the post became unavailable by December 10.
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The Duke Revealed King Charles And Prince William Were ‘Furious’ Over The Statement
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In the statement, Harry also expressed his concern for Meghan’s safety and his deep disappointment at his inability to protect her.
He added, “It is not right that a few months into a relationship with him that Ms. Markle should be subjected to such a storm. He knows commentators will say this is ‘the price she has to pay’ and that ‘this is all part of the game.’ He strongly disagrees. This is not a game — it is her life and his.”
In his memoir, “Spare,” the Duke of Sussex recounted being advised that “silence is the best option” about the media frenzy surrounding his relationship with Meghan. However, he insisted on an immediate “course correction.”
“We needed a statement out there,” he wrote. “Within a day, we had a draft. Strong, precise, angry, honest.”
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Despite the statement being widely circulated, Harry noted, “It changed nothing. The onslaught continued.”
He revealed that the move also angered his father, King Charles, and brother, Prince William. “They’d never put out a statement for their girlfriends or wives when they were being harassed,” the duke explained.
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Harry And Meghan’s Profiles Have Been Merged Into One On The Royal Website
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Two years after the statement, Harry and Meghan tied the knot on May 19, 2018, but stepped back from their roles as working royals in 2020, moving to California. Since then, the couple’s bio on the royal family’s website has undergone changes.
In March, their individual bios were combined into a single profile. The top of the page states, “As announced in January 2020, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have stepped back as working members of The Royal Family.”
It also includes a link to their new website, sussex.com. At the bottom of the profile are links to announcements regarding their departure from royal duties, including Queen Elizabeth’s 2020 statement after the Sandringham Summit.
Is Reconciliation Possible Between The Sussexes And The Royal Family?
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Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams recently claimed that Harry and Meghan’s “royal exposés” after they stepped down from their senior royal duties and relocated to the United States permanently broke their relationship with the royal family.
After their exit, which was infamously branded “Megxit,” the couple became vocal about their royal experiences, most notably in a 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, a 2022 Netflix docuseries, and Harry’s 2023 record-breaking memoir, “Spare.”
“After the Oprah interview, the Harry and Meghan Netflix documentary, and the publication of Harry’s memoir Spare, as well as the interviews he gave promoting it, the popularity of the royal family suffered, and the Sussexes were considered to have gone rogue,” the royal expert said, per The Mirror.
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Fitzwilliams emphasized that “the biggest casualty was trust,” noting that “King Charles and Prince William no longer trust Harry and Meghan.”
Prince Harry And Meghan Markle’s Netflix Deal Ends Next Year
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Fitzwilliams also discussed the impending expiration of Harry and Meghan’s contract with Netflix, which will end next year.
He remarked, “It runs out next year and Netflix are no longer producing the series of The Crown, as they previously were. They might, therefore, have less interest in the Sussexes.”
The royal expert pointed out that losing this contract could pose financial challenges for the Sussexes, stating, “If they lost this contract, with Archewell, their business and charitable foundation, having so few donors, they might well be in financial trouble.”
Fitzwilliams added, “Since their exposés of royal life has made megabucks, but little else has made money, the Royal Family better hope that this unpredictable and ruthlessly ambitious couple stays with Netflix.”