Nearly after a year of lodging a complaint to the press regulator, Independent Press Standards Organization (IPSO), Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reportedly lost the battle against the UK tabloid newspaper, Mail On Sunday. As it happened, the newspaper industry's regulator "dismissed" the complaint after concluding that the publication in question did not breach any media rule.
According to Express UK, the complaint was made after the publication released an article with a headline, "Drugged and Tethered: What Harry Didn't Tell You About Those Awe-Inspiring Wildlife Photos." The article was said to be a response to Prince Harry's wildlife photos set for Earth Day last year.
In the set, photos of elephants, lions, and rhinos are featured. However, the article claimed that the animals in these photos were "tranquilized" and tied with ropes off camera.
The narrative further continued to reveal that the Sussex couple's official Instagram account, where the photos were posted, did not explain the "circumstances" during the time when the photos were taken.
Also, it was emphasized that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's post did not show the rope around the elephant's hind legs because of "how the picture had been edited." It was noted, however, that the animals were in this condition because the wildlife was being "relocated for conservation projects."
The complaint mainly targeted the publication's accuracy clause. The royal couple, especially the Duke, contested that the article published is "inaccurate."
Despite being positive about their stand, NBC News, as well as other publications, recently released the decision of the IPSO to ultimately dismiss the case. Based on the response, the regulator said that the photos in question had already been published, "unedited in 2016."
It also explained that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's choice to use a "border" for the photos was a "presentational choice." It was not a "formatting requirement." Accordingly, IPSO was said to "not consider" Mail on Sunday's article as "misleading" given that the Duke did not quite tell the full story behind the photos, which was mainly what the article revealed in its content.
Buckingham Palace was said to decline to comment about the matter. As for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, no word has been heard yet.
Other reports were claiming, though, that this is the "latest blow" for the couple, who has been in an unpleasant relationship with the British press. It was also noted that Meghan Markle's separate legal action against the same publication has not yet set a date for the trial. Even so, Mail on Sunday was revealed to already submit legal documents to the London's High Court earlier this month.
