The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have laid bare the long-standing 'invisible contract' between the British monarchy and the press, following their explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey. Prince Harry described an arrangement where the royal family offers orchestrated public exposure in exchange for privacy behind palace gates, a system that has historically underpinned royal-media relations.
Meghan Markle highlighted the close ties between tabloids and the palace, noting that 'these tabloids have holiday parties at the Palace. They're hosted by the Palace.' However, this contract failed to protect the couple from what Meghan called a 'media frenzy,' which she says severely impacted their mental health and led to their decision to step back from royal duties last year.
Dr Laura Clancy, a media lecturer at Lancaster University, explains that the monarchy and media have long had a mutually beneficial relationship. The palace uses the press to communicate with the public, while the media leverages royal stories to attract readers. This dynamic has intensified in the 'tabloid age,' with Meghan facing intense scrutiny. Data from Rise at Seven shows 74,000 articles were published about Meghan worldwide after the couple's decision to distance themselves from the palace, and searches for the duchess jumped 600% after the Oprah interview was announced.
The rise of digital news has further strained this relationship. Digital advertising expert Rob Weatherhead notes that publishers now prioritise quantity over quality, competing globally for search engine primacy. This has led to a surge in coverage of royal figures like Meghan, with 25,894 articles published in the first week of March alone—a 600% increase from February.
Prince Harry also expressed fear of 'history repeating itself,' referencing his mother Diana, Princess of Wales, who died in a car crash while being pursued by paparazzi. The interview has raised questions about whether the invisible contract is now broken, as the couple seeks to redefine their relationship with the media.
