Prince Harry and Meghan Markle sever ties with U.K. tabloids

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are no longer fulltime working members of the royal family, which means they are no longer privy to many of the benefits that come with being senior members of the monarchy, including 24/7 security and an understood level of decorum by the press. On the other hand, this also means the couple no longer have to stand by as tabloids print salacious stories about their personal lives. In one of their first major moves since leaving their roles at the end of March, the Duke and Duchess have issued a letter to the British tabloids making their relationship status with the press sites crystal clear—it’s over.Harry and Meghan sent a strongly-worded letter to the four major U.K. tabloids on Sunday, including the Daily Mail, the Daily Mirror, Express, and The Sun. Delivered by their representatives, the letter clearly states that the couple will have “…no corroboration and zero engagement” with the tabloids.Omid Scobie is Harper’s Bazaar’s Royal editor-at-large and has interviewed the Duke and Duchess several times and been privy to many of their public events, including Markle’s final charitable gathering at Buckingham Palace. Scobie shared the letter in full on Twitter.[video_embed id='1932815']RELATED: Meghan and Harry are officially out of office[/video_embed]“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. When power is enjoyed without responsibility, the trust we all place in this much-needed industry is degraded," the letter states. “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."The couple made it clear that their new "policy is not about avoiding criticism. It's not about shutting down public conversation or censoring accurate reporting. Media have every right to report on and indeed have an opinion on The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, good or bad. But it can't be based on a lie."[video_embed id='1940550']RELATED: Prince Harry opens up about family time during quarantine[/video_embed]The letter ends by noting that the Duke and Duchess’ cutting ties with the four tabloids is “not in any way a blanket policy for all media.” Adding that they look forward to continuing to work with “…media organizations all over the world, engaging with grassroots media, regional and local media, and young, up-and-coming journalists, to spotlight issues and causes that so desperately need acknowledging,” as well as helping to “further opportunities for more diverse and underrepresented voices, who are needed now more than ever,” the letter powerfully states the one thing the couple abjectly refuses by making this bold move: "What they won't do is offer themselves up as currency for an economy of clickbait and distortion."

This evening Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan told the editors of four major British tabloids that they will never deal with them again. Their letter — written by representivies for the couple and sent to the Daily Mail, Express, Mirror and The Sun — can be read in full below?? pic.twitter.com/SwF3afIBvG

— Omid Scobie (@scobie) April 20, 2020

In October 2019, after years of printing heavily-edited and private details about Markle and interviewing estranged family members, the Duke and Duchess sued the Associated Newspapers, who own both the Daily Mail and The Mail On Sunday. Harry released a statement about the lawsuit at the time, breaking royal tradition and offering a glimpse into the painful experience behind closed doors that the couple have endured as a result of their position. “My deepest fear is history repeating itself,” Harry wrote, connecting the hateful and racist treatment of his wife to the relentless media pursuit of his late mother, Princess Diana. “I’ve seen what happens when someone I love is commoditised to the point that they are no longer treated or seen as a real person. I lost my mother and now I watch my wife falling victim to the same powerful forces.”

I’ve never read a royal statement quite like this one #PrinceHarry : pic.twitter.com/sKOFPXnRSO

— Peter Hunt (@_PeterHunt) October 1, 2019

Harry and Meghan issued their lawsuit after a private letter written by Markle to her father Thomas Markle was published in The Mail On Sunday in February 2019. According to CNN, the Duke and Duchess are expected to file a reply as part of their lawsuit. A virtual hearing has been scheduled for Friday.[video_embed id='1941625']RELATED: Ryan & Blake promote ‘boring’ shirt for COVID-19 relief[/video_embed]