Meghan and Harry: Expert warns against ‘unsolicited photos’

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Prince Philip received his own fair share of bad press during his time, with numerous reports of alleged affairs. A royal expert said the Queen’s husband was “infuriated” by the never-ending claims, but was never going to publicly correct the hurtful allegations – something he thought royals should never do.

Biographer Gyles Brandreth, who was close to the Duke of Edinburgh, has recently published a new book on Philip, to mark his recent passing.

In the biography, the expert discusses Philip’s response to bad press.

He wrote: “Over the years, he was distressed as well as infuriated by the steady stream of newspaper and magazine stories about his supposed extramarital love life.

“Around the world, over many years, journalists and publishers – and documentary film-makers and book writers – peddled unsubstantiated tittle-tattle about him and, mostly, got away with it because what, realistically, could he do about it?

“As he saw it, suing was not the answer: ‘It’s a cumbersome and costly process and gives more coverage to the libel.

“‘Queen’s husband in court’ – oh, yes? No smoke without fire.”

Prince Philip’s views on responding to bad press, can be interpreted as a subtle warning to Meghan Markle and other younger royals who have been the object of press speculation.

However it appears the Duchess of Sussex never took on her grandfather’s mantra, as she sued the publishers of the Mail On Sunday after they published extracts of a letter written to her estranged father, Thomas Markle.

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Meghan claimed Associated Newspapers for misuse of private information and on data protection and copyright infringement grounds.

She claimed the letter disclosed her intimate thoughts and feelings which were not matters of legitimate public interest.

The Mail on Sunday and Mail Online had published five articles reproducing 29 different extracts from the letter.

Earlier this year the High Court ruled in Meghan’s favour, with the judge stating “the disclosures were manifestly excessive and hence unlawful”.

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Meghan also publicly spoke about a dispute that played out in the press in 2018, during her tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey.

The Duchess of Sussex sought to set the record straight over an argument with Kate, Duchess of Cambridge ahead of her wedding to Prince Harry in May 2018.

Meghan said, contrary to previous reports, Kate had made her cry just weeks before the nuptials.

The pair disagreed about bridesmaid’s dresses.

Meghan told Oprah: “I don’t say that to be disparaging to anyone because it was a really hard week of the wedding and she was upset about something but she owned it and she apologised and she bought me flowers, and a note apologising.

“She did what I would do if I knew that I hurt someone.”

The Duchess said she wanted to “protect” her sister-in-law Kate from the truth coming out, but was “shocked” when months after the wedding it was reported that she had upset Kate.

She said she was saddened the Palace never set the record straight at the time.

Philip: The Final Portrait by Gyles Brandreth is available to buy now.

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