In a podcast appearance, Prince Harry chastised newspapers for publishing “photos of my son being picked up from school” and denounced the “feeding frenzy” of the paparazzi in the United States. The Duke of Sussex has repeatedly chastised British tabloids for their treatment of his family, but he has made his most outspoken comments yet about American media. Harry discussed the “madness” of the paparazzi that the couple encountered during their brief stay in Los Angeles during the first few months of their time in America.
Within days of Prince Philip’s funeral, he addressed a set of photos. Archie’s face was not pixelated in the photographs, which showed Meghan Markle carrying the child on her baby bump. “They took photos of my son being picked up from school on his first day,” Prince Harry said.”
The prince went on to say: “It’s this kind of rabid feeding frenzy, and to return to the kids’ point, it’s completely true. These kids don’t have a choice; they don’t have a say in the matter. “If it [Paparazzi attention] gets any worse, what you’re basically accepting is… let’s punish people who have a talent and have literally worked their asses off to get to a point where, yes, they’re making money and, yes, their fans contribute to that, but they’re bringing entertainment and value to society.”
The duke also returned to the frenzy that accompanied his and Meghan’s arrival on American soil following their divorce from royal life.
Paparazzi agency X17 used a drone to take pictures of baby Archie playing in the private grounds of the Sussexes’ friend Tyler Perry’s L.A. mansion. The images were sold to a German mass market magazine which splashed them on the front page. Meghan and Harry filed a lawsuit, winning an apology from the agency as well as reimbursement for some of their court costs.
Harry stated on the podcast. “The way I see it, especially now that I’m living here, an hour outside of Los Angeles, it’s a feeding frenzy here.” We lived at Tyler Perry’s house for the first three and a half months.” The helicopters, drones, and paparazzi cutting the fence looked insane. “And people out there said, ‘What do you expect if you live in LA?'” ” First and foremost, we did not intend to live in Los Angeles. This is a staging area where you can look for a house. Second, how unfortunate that if you live in Los Angeles and are a well-known figure, you just have to expect it.
“During the first round of security, I asked, “Where is the safest place?” ‘Inside,’ he said. ‘Sorry, so just because I’m a well-known person, I can’t go outside anymore?’ I said.” Since the couple moved to Montecito, in Santa Barbara County, Harry said the couple’s relationship with the paparazzi has gotten “way better.”
He did, however, claim that Orlando Bloom recently sent him photos of a paparazzi photographer lying in the back of a 4×4 truck attempting to photograph the actor with his child. The podcast was released quietly, and Prince Harry joked that he didn’t think it was a formal “interview.”
However, the relaxed conversation devolved into emotionally charged territory, with the prince discussing some of his own mental health issues. “I wasn’t so nervous,” Harry said of his podcast appearance, “but I guess on this particular subject around mental health, for me, unfortunately in today’s world it’s quite a sensitive subject, not just for people who are sharing.” However, the subject matter itself must be handled with caution.
“There can be humor and everything else, but when it becomes weaponized by certain people, you can never predict it, though in this case you probably can.” That no longer concerns me. I used to be afraid of it, but now it’s almost as if the same groups of people who come at it so negatively or try to turn it against you and weaponize it, affecting millions of other people as a result, actually encourages me to speak out more.”
