Harry and Meghan fight for a private life
One hundred days after announcing their retirement as senior royals, Harry and Meghan are still battling with the newspapers over their privacy. Does the couple have the right to expect it?
What’s happening
The duke and duchess of Sussex have told some UK newspapers that they will no longer deal with them. The couple, currently living in Los Angeles, have a turbulent history with the media and says the decision is due to “distorted, false or invasive stories” printed about them in the past.
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In January, Harry and Meghan stood down as senior royals, giving up their titles and moving to Canada with their son, Archie. Three months previously, they had stated in a documentary that unfair scrutiny and untruthful reports made by some newspapers had made life hard.
The couple have received both negative and positive attention from the press for years, with Meghan complaining of racist abuse after excessive media coverage in 2016.
But even abroad, the couple have not avoided the press. The Sun published a shot of Meghan with her son in Canada, and the duchess is currently suing the Mail for publishing a letter she wrote to her father.
Last week, the couple announced a boycott of four UK newspapers.
Do Harry and Meghan have the right to expect privacy?
Some say…
No, they are out of touch with reality. Harry and Meghan use the press to publicise their work – they cannot pick and choose when they appear in the news. They have blocked newspapers that criticise them, rather than stopping publicity altogether. As public figures who enjoy huge privileges, they must expect to have less privacy than others.
Others think…
Yes! They may be in the public eye, but certain newspapers have published information that is misleading. Harry and Meghan’s fame does not give others the right to hound them for pointless gossip. Archie is not even a year old. It is wrong to take photos of him without permission. Everyone has a right to draw a line between private and public life.
You Decide
- Would you like to be famous?
Activities
- Write a newspaper article about yourself, trying to make it as exciting as possible. Are there any facts you wouldn’t want to publish?
Some People Say...
“The worst thing about being famous is the invasion of your privacy.”
Justin TimberlakeWhat do you think?
Word Watch
- Turbulent
- Something that is uncertain, confused or unstable.
- Titles
- The couple no longer use “His Royal Highness” and “Her Royal Highness”
- Scrutiny
- Critical observation or examination. To scrutinise is to look at something very closely.
- Suing
- To process legal action against someone, usually because they have done something to harm you physically or financially.
- Boycott
- To stop all contact as a protest or punishment. Harry and Meghan will no longer speak to the newspapers to confirm or deny stories about themselves.