Prince Harry’s raging statement slamming the “abuse and harassment” he says his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex experienced when they started dating has been quietly stripped from the royal family’s website.
The 39-year-old’s communications secretary released the rare statement in November 2016 after news of Harry and Meghan’s relationship was made public, with the Duke of Sussex later saying in his autobiography its contents made his family “furious”.
Even though it has remained on his family’s website in the years since it was put out, it emerged on Tuesday (28.05.24) the link is no longer active.
Newsweek reported Internet archive site Wayback Machine was able to access the link on 3 December, 2023, but not a week later on 10 December, indicating it was removed during that timespan.
Harry’s spokesperson said in part of the statement: “His girlfriend, Meghan Markle, has been subject to a wave of abuse and harassment.
“Some of this has been very public – the smear on the front page of a national newspaper; the racial undertones of comment pieces; and the outright sexism and racism of social media trolls and web article comments.
“Some of it has been hidden from the public – the nightly legal battles to keep defamatory stories out of papers; her mother having to struggle past photographers in order to get to her front door; the attempts of reporters and photographers to gain illegal entry to her home and the calls to police that followed; the substantial bribes offered by papers to her ex-boyfriend; the bombardment of nearly every friend, co-worker, and loved one in her life.
“Prince Harry is worried about Ms Markle’s safety and is deeply disappointed that he has not been able to protect her.
“It is not right that a few months into a relationship with him that Ms Markle should be subjected to such a storm.
“He knows commentators will say this is ‘the price she has to pay’ and that 'this is all part of the game.' He strongly disagrees. This is not a game – it is her life and his.”
Harry, who married Meghan, 42, in 2018, recalled in his memoir ‘Spare’ he was advised “silence is the best option” regarding the media attention surrounding his newly unveiled romance with the former ‘Suits’ actress, but he pushed for a “course correction”.
He said in the book: "We needed a statement out there. Within a day we had a draft. Strong, precise, angry, honest.”
Harry also stated it was “changing nothing” after its release as the “onslaught” of attention on Meghan continued.
He added the move also made his father, now King Charles, 75, and brother, Prince William, 41, “furious”.
