Prince Harry Reveals Royal Family Rift Was Worsened by Tabloids

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Prince Harry is getting candid about his rift with the royal family, and the factors he believes may have contributed to the fall out.

In a new ITV documentary called Tabloids on Trial, Prince Harry discusses his decision to pursue legal action against some of the U.K.'s biggest tabloids. As well as revealing it's "still dangerous" for Meghan Markle to return to the U.K., Harry explained the tabloids were responsible for worsening his relationship with his family.

"Yeah, that’s certainly a central piece to it," Harry said in Tabloids on Trial, via The Guardian. "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." Understandably, Harry was reluctant to discuss his fractured family relations. But it seems as though the prince couldn't avoid the fact that his decision to go to court contributed to an already difficult situation.

Discussing his highly-publicized legal battles, Harry said in the documentary, "I’ve made it very clear that this is something that needs to be done. It would be nice if we, you know, did it as a family." He continued, "I believe that, again, from a service standpoint and when you are in a public role, that these are the things that we should be doing for the greater good."

In December 2023, Prince Harry was awarded the huge sum of ￡140,600 (approximately $180,960) in damages in his case against the Daily Mirror, as reported by The Guardian. A judge ruled that the tabloid newspaper used "phone hacking" to unlawfully collect information on the prince, which it then used to create stories.

Following the historic judgment, Harry released a statement, saying (via The Guardian), "Today is a great day for truth, as well as accountability." He continued, "This case is not just about hacking—it is about a systemic practice of unlawful and appalling behavior, followed by cover-ups and destruction of evidence, the shocking scale of which can only be revealed through these proceedings."

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's rift with the royal family has seemingly caused many relationships to sour. However, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie have reportedly remained in contact with the pair, despite any difficulties it may have caused.

Speaking to People, a source claimed, "The whole drama between him and Meghan and the rift with the rest of the family has been really stressful for the girls." The source continued, "It’s hard to watch because they see both sides of it."