The Guardian view on Harry and Meghan: heavy is the head that wears the crown

The behaviour towards Meghan shows Britain has “learned nothing” from Princess Diana’s treatment, writes the historian Kate Williams, author of ‘Becoming Queen,’ an account of Queen Victoria’s rise.

The professor of history at Reading university writes in a piece for the Guardian that Britain has “a toxic relationship with its royals.

On the one hand, polls suggest we want a constitutional monarchy. The Queen is popular; we turn out for jubilees; children paint cards to mark her birthday. But those who marry into the family are tormented by a barrage of media abuse.

Did we ever want Harry to be happily married? Or did some always hope he would remain the sad little boy at his mother’s funeral?

Clearly, his love for a biracial woman set parts of this country on fire. And so the duke and duchess left, after attempting to negotiate a half in/half out arrangement with the royal family. Although this plan was derided by the British tabloids, it could have worked. This is how some of the European royals work, such as Princess Madeleine of Sweden, who lives in America and works for a non-profit while retaining her royal title.

Williams suggests it is likely that republican sentiment will “only swell” after the allegations.

Zac Goldsmith’s intervention on Twitter – in which he said Prince Harry was “blowing up his family” – has drawn the ire of some who have been reminding the Conservative politician of his controversial 

Labour had repeatedly claimed attacks on the winning candidate, Sadiq Khan, were dog-whistle racism aimed at suggesting London was not safe in the hands of a Muslim mayor.

It might be useful to read that statement from the Society of Editors, and the apparent anger on the part of at least some of its members at the comments by Prince Harry – in particular in the context of the way in which the media in the UK agreed to keep his military deployment to Afghanistan secret.

The Guardian’s Mark Sweney reported at the time on how Britain’s Ministry of Defence held a series of meetings with British media representatives in advance of the 23-year-old prince’s departure to Afghanistan in December 2007, reaching an agreement that his deployment would be kept secret.

Under the news blackout deal, media organisations that signed up were given access to a series of pooled interviews, pictures and footage of the prince in Afghanistan, on condition that nothing would run until his six-month tour ended.

All the major UK news broadcasters, newspaper publishers and news agencies signed up for the MoD deal.

UK editors body criticises Harry and Meghan 'attack'
The UK media “is not bigoted and will not be swayed from its vital role holding the rich and powerful to account,” according to a statement by the Society of Editors, which represents editors at national and regional titles across the UK.

Reacting to what it described as “an attack” by Harry and Meghan, the industry body said it was not acceptable for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to make such claims without providing any supporting evidence.

Ian Murray, executive director of the Society of Editors, said: “If it is simply the case the Sussexes feel that the press by questioning their actions and commenting on their roles when working as Royals funded by the taxpayer were being racist then they are mistaken.”

“But that warmth could not and should not mean the press should be expected to refuse to report, investigate and comment on the couple’s lifestyle and actions.”

Murray added that it was “a pity” that the couple did not mention the support which the UK media has shown to charitable works carried out by them and its role in ensuring that the prince’s military service in Afghanistan went ahead.

“The UK media has a proud record of calling out racism and also being at the forefront of campaigns to support mental health awareness, another of the issues raised by the couple.”

Jess Brammer, Editor-in-chief of HuffPost UK, has tweeted that she doesn’t agree with the statement put out by her industry body, though she agrees with some elements of it.

Zac Goldsmith, minister for Pacific and the environment at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, appears to have become the first minister to comment directly on the interview.

“Harry is blowing up his family,” said Holdsmith, in a tweet referencing a quote which has been attributed to Prince Harry in some reports about an alleged row between him and a senior royal member of staff.

Johnson congratulated the Sun’s political editor on his “very determined attempt to involve” him in the story

“I really think that when it comes to matters to do with the royal family the right thing for prime minister to say is nothing and nothing is the thing that I propose to say today about that particular matter.”

Britain’s prime minister has been asked at a conference about the comments by Prince Harry and Meghan that concerns were raised with the prince about the skin colour of their baby.

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“Perhaps the best thing I can say is that I have always had the highest admiration for the Queen and the unifying role she play in our country and across the Commonwealth,” Boris Johnson said, when asked at a briefing in Downing Street about Covid-19.

“As for other matters to do with the royal family I have spent a long time now not commenting on royal family matters and I don’t intend to depart from that today.”