Prince Harry, Meghan Markle Tell U.K. Tabloids They Will No Longer Work With Them

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have stepped up their fight against British tabloid newspapers, which they have long accused of harassment, telling four of the leading outlets that they will never again work with them. 

Representatives of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex on Sunday evening sent letters to the editors of The Sun, part of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, Mail, Mirror and Express, explaining that they would no longer respond to any inquiries from their journalists under a new policy of “zero engagement,” except when needed via the couple’s legal team. 

The couple said that it refused to “offer themselves up as a currency for an economy of clickbait and distortion,” accusing the tabloids of publishing stories about them that were “distorted, false, or invasive beyond reason.”

“It is gravely concerning that an influential slice of the media, over many years, has sought to insulate themselves from taking accountability for what they say or print — even when they know it to be distorted, false, or invasive beyond reason,” the letter said. “When power is enjoyed without responsibility, the trust we all place in this much-needed industry is degraded.”

The letter arrives just as Markle prepares for a virtual court hearing with the Mail on Sunday, which she is suing over an allegation that it unlawfully published a private letter she sent to her estranged father. The hearing is set to take place this Friday. Around the same time Markle announced she was suing the paper last year, Prince Harry accused British tabloids of launching a “ruthless” campaign against his wife.

“There is a real human cost to this way of doing business, and it affects every corner of society,” the letter continued. “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have watched people they know — as well as complete strangers — have their lives completely pulled apart for no good reason, other than the fact that salacious gossip boosts advertising revenue.”

Prince Harry and Markle recently relocated to California, having announced their split — or “Megxit” as it became known — from the royal family in January. At the time, media experts and lawyers said the move could actually heighten the tensions between the couple and the press.