Prince Harry has long said the U.K. media was a key driver of the problems that led him and Meghan to quit royal life, and in the early weeks of their return to his home country those tensions appear to be flaring again, most recently over a tabloid front page story about his relationship with King Charles III. First the couple won a correction from the Daily Mail in August over an inaccurate story about them visiting celebrity friends. Now, a story that appeared on the front page of the Daily Mirror is understood by Newsweek to be inaccurate.
The newspaper, which Harry successfully sued over historic phone-hacking allegations, ran a front-page headline reading, "Harry and King have not spoken," with the subhead: "Prince yet to call Charles two weeks after he moved back to the U.K." Newsweek has been told that Charles and Harry spoke in the week after the Sussexes relocated to Britain. Harry and Meghan's return is still in its earliest stages, but a key test of how they fit back into U.K. life will be how they navigate the tensions that originally led them to leave royal duties and move to America. Key drivers included a rift with family and palace staff as well as heated criticism in the British media, which they have previously said was fueled by an agenda.
The latest newspaper coverage comes alongside separate conflict between the Sussexes and Buckingham Palace over the release of a letter by the head of the Royal Household confirming Harry and Meghan's status as non-working royals. The Mirror reported Harry had not "scheduled a call" with Charles since returning to Britain and the king has been in Scotland during that time. The article suggested there was still tension between Harry and his family, who it was said did not know the prince's reason for moving back to the U.K. from California.
Newsweek has been told Harry in fact spoke to his father during his first week back in Britain. There is no indication the Sussexes have filed a formal complaint over the story. Harry and Meghan did complain, though, about a story in the Mail suggesting they had been spending time with former Spice Girl Geri Horner and her husband Christian Horner, former head of the Red Bull Formula One team.
The Mail's correction read: "An article published on 24 August wrongly claimed that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had visited Geri and Christian Horner at their home while visiting Britain in July, that the couples had discussed the Sussexes' return to Britain, that Prince Harry had been in regular contact with Christian Horner, and that the Duke and Duchess had developed a close friendship with the Horners. We have removed the article and are happy to correct the record." The latest dispute with the Mirror came a day after tensions also flared with the palace over a letter sent on King Charles' behalf to officials in the British government and military as well as representatives of the monarchy around the country, known as Lords-Lieutenant. The letter confirmed the Sussexes are non-working royals and that their HRH [His or Her Royal Highness] titles are in abeyance, indicating dignitaries who meet the couple should not refer to them using those styles.
The memo went out on Monday, while on Tuesday Newsweek was told the couple had been "surprised" not to be given more notice after it was sent to their team around an hour before being shared with the media. There had also been a request from the Sussex camp to alter a specific line in the letter. The Sun reported aides to Harry and Meghan wanted it to state they were "public figures" rather than "private citizens." The change was not made.
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