Prince Harry Blames ‘Powerful Media' for Why He's Stepping From Royals
Harry, 35, has made no secret of his disdain for Britain's tabloid media in the past, with both he and Meghan filing lawsuits against press outlets last fall
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Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend the WellChild awards at Royal Lancaster Hotel on October 15, 2019 in London, England.
Prince Harry has taken aim at the journalists who have dissected his life since the day he was born as he expressed regret for the way he has had to step down from royal duties.
In a personal speech that referenced his late mother, Princess Diana, who died in a car accident while being pursued by paparazzi, Harry said Sunday he had "no other option'' but to step away as he and his wife, Meghan, seek a more peaceful life.
"When I lost my mum 23 years ago, you took me under your wing,'' Harry said at a dinner in London for Sentebale, his Africa-based charity supporting youngsters with HIV. "You looked out for me for so long, but the media is a powerful force. And my hope is one day our collective support for each other can be more powerful, because this is so much bigger than just us.''
The comments were Harry’s first public remarks since Saturday night, when his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, announced the terms under which the prince and his wife will walk away from most royal duties, give up public funding and try to become financially independent. The couple are expected to spend most of their time in Canada while maintaining a home in England near Windsor Palace.
The queen's statement said the agreement, reached after crisis talks, was a "constructive and supportive way forward."
But Harry’s speech made it clear that the couple had not gotten their wish to be able to carry on with some royal duties while becoming independent.
"Our hope was to continue serving the queen, the Commonwealth and my military associations, but without public funding. Unfortunately, that wasn't possible," he said.
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Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, arrive to attend the annual Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey in London on March 9, 2020. The Commonwealth Service will be the last job for Meghan and Harry as senior royals before they split from Buckingham Palace.
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Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, attend The Endeavour Fund Awards at Mansion House on March 5, 2020 in London, England. This is the last weekend for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as working royals before they part ways with Buckingham Palace.
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Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend the Mountbatten Festival of Music at Royal Albert Hall on March 7, 2020, in London, England. This is the last weekend for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as working royals before they part ways with Buckingham Palace.
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall with Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge visit the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre Stanford Hall to meet patients and staff on Feb. 11, 2020 in Loughborough, United Kingdom. (Photo by Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images)
Queen Elizabeth II is escorted by Station commander Group captain James Beck past an RAF guard of honor as she arrives at RAF Marham to inspect the new integrated training centre that trains personnel on the maintenance of the new RAF F-35B Lightning II strike aircraft at Royal Air Force Marham on Feb. 3, 2020 in Kingu2019s Lynn, England. (Photo by Richard Pohle u2013 WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge (L) and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attend the EE British Academy Film Awards 2020 at Royal Albert Hall on Feb. 02, 2020 in London, England. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
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Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Queen Elizabeth II and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, attend the annual Remembrance Sunday service at The Cenotaph on Nov. 10, 2019, in London, England. The armistice ending the First World War between the Allies and Germany was signed at Compiegne, France, on eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month on Nov. 11, 1918.
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Sophie, Countess of Wessex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, attend the annual Remembrance memorial at The Cenotaph on Nov. 10, 2019, in London, England.
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Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, visit a settlement of the Kalash people to learn more about Kalash culture and heritage, Oct. 16, 2019, in Chitral, Pakistan.
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Britain's Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles attend the official State Opening of Parliament at the House of Lords in London, Monday Oct. 14, 2019. The 93-year-old monarch read a 10-minute speech outlining an ambitious legislative program for Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government.
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Britain's Prince Harry walks through a minefield in Dirico, Angola, Friday Sept. 27, 2019, during a visit to see the work of landmine clearance charity the Halo Trust, on day five of the royal tour of Africa. Prince Harry is following in the footsteps of his late mother, Princess Diana, right,, whose walk through an active mine field in Angola years ago helped to lead to a global ban on the deadly weapons.
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Britain's Prince Harry with Jose Antonio, center, of the Halo Trust and a mine clearance worker walk through a minefield in Dirico, Angola Friday Sept. 27, 2019, during a visit to see the work of landmine clearance charity the Halo Trust, on day five of the royal tour of Africa.
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Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, attend Heritage Day public holiday celebrations in the Bo Kaap district of Cape Town, during the royal tour of South Africa on Sept. 24, 2019, in Cape Town, South Africa.
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Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, attends the "Back to Nature" festival at RHS Garden Wisley on Sept. 10, 2019, in Woking, England.
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Princess Charlotte arrives for her first day of school at Thomas's Battersea in London, with her brother Prince George and her parents the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on Sept. 5, 2019, in London, England.
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Princess Charlotte, 4, arrives for her first day of school, with her brother Prince George, 6, and her parents the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, at Thomas's Battersea in London on September 5, 2019 in London, England.
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Princess Charlotte of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge having fun together after the inaugural Kingu2019s Cup regatta hosted by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on Aug. 8, 2019, in Cowes, England. Their Royal Highnesses hope that The Kingu2019s Cup will become an annual event bringing greater awareness to the wider benefits of sport, whilst also raising support and funds for Action on Addiction, Place2Be, the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, The Royal Foundation, Child Bereavement UK, Centrepoint, Londonu2019s Air Ambulance Charity and Tusk.
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Prince George celebrates his sixth birthday in the gardens at Kensington Palace. The photo was shared by Kate Middleton, The Duchess of Cambridge, on Instagram.
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Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex meets cast and crew, including US singer-songwriter Beyoncu00e9 and her husband, rapper Jay-Z as they attend the European premiere of the film "The Lion King" in London on July 14, 2019. (Photo by Niklas HALLE'N / POOL / AFP) (Photo credit should read NIKLAS HALLE'N/AFP/Getty Images)
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This official handout Christening photograph released by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex shows Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex (center left), and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex holding their baby son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor flanked by (L-R) Britain's Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Britain's Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Ms Doria Ragland, Lady Jane Fellowes, Lady Sarah McCorquodale, Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge in the Green Drawing Room at Windsor Castle, west of London on July 6, 2019. Prince Harry and his wife Meghan had their baby son Archie christened on Saturday at a private ceremony.
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Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex meet players of the New York Yankees before a match against the Boston Red Sox in London, Saturday, June 29, 2019.
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Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex meet Boston Red Sox players before a match against the New York Yankees in London, Saturday, June 29, 2019.
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Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, attends the first day of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse on June 18, 2019, in Ascot, England.
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Queen Elizabeth II and Queen Maxima of The Netherlands seen on the first day of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse on June 18, 2019, in Ascot, England.
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Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, attends the first day of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse on June 18, 2019, in Ascot, England.
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Prince Edward, Duke of Wessex and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, pose for photographs ahead their 20th wedding anniversary on day one of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse on June 18, 2019, in Ascot, England.
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Princess Eugenie of York and Princess Beatrice of York attends the first day of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse on June 18, 2019, in Ascot, England.
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Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, with Prince Harry and her mother, Doria Ragland, introduces her newborn son to Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip on May 8, 2019, at Windsor Castle, Windsor, England. The royal couple named their firstborn son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor two days after the baby was born.
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Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, pose with "Baby Sussex" in St. George's Hall at Windsor Castle on May 8, 2019, in Windsor, England. The Duchess of Sussex gave birth to the couple's first child two days ago.
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Photos of Princess Charlotte taken in April by her mother, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, was released by Kensington Palace in honor of the princess' 4th birthday on May 1, 2019. Charlotte, the second child of Prince William and Kate Middleton, was born on May 2rd.
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A new photoset by Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, shows her third son, Prince Louis, a day before his first birthday, on April 23, 2019.
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Queen Elizabeth II is presented with flowers as she leaves after attending the Easter Matins Service at St. George's Chapel, at Windsor Castle in England Sunday, April 21, 2019. The Queen is also celebrating her 93rd birthday.
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Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Governor General Cecile La Grenade visit St Georgeu2019s Carenage and watch dancers during the official royal visit to the country on March 23, 2019, in Saint George's, Grenada.
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Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge meets Olivia Colman after the EE British Academy Film Awards at Royal Albert Hall on Feb. 10, 2019, in London, England. 'The Favourite,' in which Colman plays Queen Anne, swept the BAFTAs with seven awards out of 12 nominations.
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In this image released on Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2018, Britain's Queen Elizabeth poses for a photograph after she recorded her annual Christmas Day message, in the White Drawing Room of Buckingham Palace, London.
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Kensington Palace released this year's Christmas Card from the Duke of Cambridge's family, taken at Anmer Hall. From left, clockwise: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge; Princess Charlotte; Prince George; Prince William, Duke of Cambridge; and Prince Louis.
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Prince Charles marks his 70th birthday in the gardens of Clarence House, with Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William, Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in London, England, on Nov. 13, 2018.
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Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, are greeted by 5-year-old Luke Vincent as they arrive at Dubbo Airport on Oct. 17, 2018, in Dubbo, Australia. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are on their official 16-day autumn tour visiting cities in Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand.
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Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, meet Ruby, a koala, during a visit to Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia, Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2018. Ruby gave birth to two joeys named Harry and Meghan after the Duke and Duchess. Prince Harry and his wife Meghan are on a 16-day tour of Australia and the South Pacific, during which Kensington Palace announced that Meghan is pregnant
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Princess Eugenie of York and her new husband Jack Brooksbank kiss as they leave St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle following their wedding on Oct. 12, 2018 in Windsor, England.
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Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex take their seat before the performance next to the writer of "Hamilton," Lin Manuel Miranda before the gala performance in support of Sentebale at Victoria Palace Theatre on August 29, 2018, in London, England. "Hamilton" is a look at the American Revolutionary War, which skewers King George III, Harry's royal ancestor.
Matt Holyoak/Camera Press via Kensington Palace
The royal family is shown in this official photograph released by Kensington Palace from Prince Louis' christening last week.
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Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge watch a flyover to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force from the balcony of Buckingham Palace on July 10, 2018, in London, England.
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Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge speaks to Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby as she arrives carrying Prince Louis for his christening service at the Chapel Royal, St James's Palace on July 9, 2018, in London, England.
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From left, Britain's Queen Elizabeth, Meghan Duchess of Sussex, Prince Charles, Prince Harry, Kate Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William attend the annual Trooping the Colour Ceremony in London, Saturday, June 9, 2018.
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Britain's Prince Harry, left, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex ride in a carriage to attend the annual Trooping the Colour Ceremony in London, Saturday, June 9, 2018.
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Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, kisses his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, as they leave from St George's Chapel in Windsor, England, on May 19, 2018. The two married in the royal wedding of the year, in a wedding ceremony that bought touching moments to family and fans alike.
HRH The Duchess Of Cambridge
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge shared a new photo of Princess Charlotte kissing her brother, Prince Louis, at Kensington Palace on May 2, 2018, Princess Charlotte's third birthday.
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Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, show their newborn son, their third child, to the media on Monday, April 23, 2018, outside the Lindo Wing at St. Mary's Hospital in central London.
"For those reasons, it brings me great sadness that it has come to this,'' he added. "The decision that I have made for my wife and I to step back is not one I made lightly. It was so many months of talks after so many years of challenges. And I know I haven't always got it right, but as far as this goes, there really was no other option.''
Harry, 35, has made no secret of his disdain for Britain's tabloid media in the past, with both he and Meghan filing lawsuits against press outlets last fall. At the time, Harry gave an interview drawing parallels between the treatment of his wife and the media frenzy that contributed to the death of his mother.
Harry praised his grandmother, the queen, and the rest of his family for supporting him and his wife in recent months. He called the decision to change both jobs and continents "a leap of faith" and said he hopes the move will allow him and his family to achieve a "more peaceful life."
Under terms of the deal announced Saturday, Harry and Meghan will stop using their "royal highness" titles this spring and will lose all access to public funds once they stop carrying out official functions.
Harry opened his speech by noting that many in the audience had watched him grow up and said he wanted them "to hear the truth from me, as much as I can share, not as a prince, or a duke, but as Harry."
He framed the decision to leave as his own, made on behalf of Meghan and their young son, Archie. He spoke of both during his remarks, telling the audience that eight-month-old Archie had seen snow for the first time a few days ago and "thought it was bloody brilliant."
He then turned to his relationship with the queen and other members of his family.
"I will always have the utmost respect for my grandmother — my commander in chief — and I’m incredibly grateful to her and the rest of my family for the support they have shown Meghan and I over the last few months," he said.
Meghan and Archie and the couple's dogs are already in Canada, and it was not clear how soon Harry would join them or where in Canada they would live. The couple spent the holiday season on Vancouver Island, and Meghan worked for seven years in Toronto filming the TV series "Suits."
