In a candid and revealing interview, Prince Harry has opened up about the deeply strained relationship with his family, attributing much of the rift to his ongoing battles with the British tabloid press. The Duke of Sussex will feature prominently in the upcoming ITV documentary "Tabloids on Trial," set to air this Thursday evening. The documentary delves into the legal battles that Harry and other celebrities have waged against the tabloids over phone hacking and other privacy invasions.
During a preview of the documentary, journalist Becca Barry posed a pointed question to Prince Harry: "To what extent do you think your determination to fight the tabloids destroyed your relationship with your family?" Harry's response was unequivocal: "It is certainly a central piece to it."
Elaborating on the complexities of his familial relationships, Harry noted, "It is a hard question to answer because anything I say about my family results in a torrent of abuse from the press. I have made it very clear that this is something that needs to be done. It would be nice if we did it as a family. I believe from a service standpoint and when you are in a public role these are the things we should be doing for the greater good. I am doing this for my reasons."
Harry's remarks underscore the personal toll that his crusade against the tabloids has taken on his family life. He expressed a desire for unity, lamenting the absence of familial support in his public endeavors. "I think that everything that has played out has shown people what the truth of the matter is. For me, the mission continues. But yes, it's caused as you say part of a rift."
The documentary also covers Prince Harry's High Court case against Mirror Group Newspapers, where the judge ruled in favor of Harry, recognizing the extensive phone hacking that had occurred. The court awarded him £140,600 ($180,000) in damages. Reflecting on this victory, Harry described it as monumental. "To go in there and come out and have the judge rule in our favor was obviously huge. But for him to go as far as he did with regard to, you know, this wasn't just the individual people. This went right up to the top... this was lawyers, this was high executives. And to be able to achieve that in a trial that's a monumental victory."
One particularly striking moment in the documentary involves Harry discussing a headline about his then-girlfriend Chelsy Davy, which read, "Harry's Girl to Dump Him." Harry remarked, "Seems as though they knew something before I even did." He spoke about the pervasive paranoia and distrust fostered by such invasive reporting. "There's a big difference between what interests the public and what is public interest. What happens in my private life between myself and [my] then girlfriend is exactly that, between us."
Harry's determination to expose and combat the unethical practices of the British tabloids has also brought up painful memories of his mother, Princess Diana. He believes she was one of the first victims of phone hacking. "There is evidence to suggest that she was being hacked in the mid-nineties, probably one of the first people to be hacked, and yet still today, the press, the tabloid press very much enjoy painting her as being paranoid. But she wasn't paranoid, she was absolutely right about what was happening to her. And she's not around today to find out the truth."
Throughout the documentary, Harry reiterates his belief that fighting against tabloid misconduct is a matter of public service. However, he acknowledges the personal costs, particularly the estrangement from his family. "That's certainly a central piece to it," he explains. "But, you know, that's a hard question to answer because anything I say about my family results in a torrent of abuse from the press. I've made it very clear that this is something that needs to be done. It would be nice if we did it as a family. I believe that, again, from a service standpoint and when you are in a public role, that these are the things we should be doing for the greater good. But, you know, I'm doing this for my reasons."
In response to the documentary, Mirror Group Newspapers issued a statement: "We welcomed the judgment in December 2023 that gave the business the necessary clarity to move forward from events that took place many years ago. Where historical wrongdoing took place, we apologize unreservedly, have taken full responsibility, and paid compensation."
