Skip to Content

Earlier this week, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry sent a stern message to the British tabloids:

In no uncertain terms, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex made it clear that they would grant no further access to four UK media outlets, and those publications were officially on notice about printing inaccurate information Harry, Meghan, or their son, Archie.

Markle and Prince Harry
(Getty)

Not surprisingly, the editors of The Sun, the Express, the Daily Mail and the Daily Mirror did not take the news well, and all four have clapped back against Harry and Meghan’s announcement in one form or another.

Perhaps the most scathing rebuke came from The Sun, which ran an editorial entitled "Has there ever been a more ill-timed bid for publicity as Harry & Meghan’s?"

The tabloid is capitalizing on criticism regarding Harry and Meghan’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic and implying that pointing out unfair or libelous press coverage is an act of privilege in these trying times.

Happy Meghan Markle and Prince Harry
(Getty)

Of course, they’re ironically just proving the Sussexes’ point with a ridiculous hit piece.

"A couple blinded by their sense of entitlement, claiming to crave privacy yet desiring above all the gilded lives of their A-list celebrity friends, flying around on private jets and making ­millions as effortlessly as possible" is how the piece describes Harry and Meghan.

Seems a bit harsh for a couple who has vowed only to leave the house in order to work with local charities between now and whenever the coronavirus begins to subside.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry on Xmas
(Getty)

"They say they believe in a free Press holding power to account. In fact Harry and Meghan want a Press that holds others to account, but simply regurgitates THEIR PR handouts," The Sun continues.

"When their hypocrisy is exposed by newspapers, they turn on their readers."

Look, Harry and Meghan are flawed humans, and for as long as they remain public figures, they’re not above criticism from the press.

And it would be a lie to say they haven’t fumbled in their handling of the current global health crisis.

Prince and Duchess
(Getty)

Renaming their charity and announcing in the same press release that the organization would not roll out until after the pandemic has subsided was a particularly tone-deaf move.

But like the rest of us, Harry and Meghan are in uncharted territory these days, and their anxiety is compounded by the fact that they’re new parents.

The couple stepped down from royal life and fled the UK specifically because they were tired of being harassed by the British tabloid press.

This week, they issued a statement that essentially amounted to "No, really. Please leave us alone now," and the these media outlets took it as heir cue to ratchet up the bullying.

Meg and Har
(Getty)

Make whatever dismissive "ivory tower" criticisms about Harry and Meghan you want, they’ve never done anything that cruel or clueless.

Also, it’s worth noting that despite claims that they’ve abandoned the royal family, the Sussexes — along with baby Archie — reportedly video-conferenced with the Queen on her 94th birthday this week.

It might be easier to take the offending tabloids somewhat seriously if they occasionally reported the good along with the bad, but that seems to be against company policy.