Prince Harry's War on the Media Would Have Left Princess Diana 'Deeply Disappointed,' Insider Claims
The insider claimed Diana was press savvy, noting that she worked with trusted journalists rather than battling them.
Over the years, Prince Harry has been locked in a highly publicized battle with the British press, arguing that sections of the media have used several unlawful methods to obtain information about him and his family members and invade their privacy. The Duke of Sussex has also frequently linked his concerns to the treatment of his late mother, Princess Diana, whose experiences with intense media scrutiny are said to shape his views today. However, an insider is now offering a completely different perspective, claiming that Diana would have been deeply disappointed by Harry's ongoing war with the press.
Speaking to Rob Shuter's Naughty But Nice, one of Diana's close friends said, “Diana understood exactly how the media worked. She never saw every journalist as the enemy. She built relationships with people she trusted and used those relationships to make sure her voice was heard.” It was also revealed that rather than avoiding the media completely, the People's Princess chose to build proper working relationships with some of the most trusted royal journalists and senior newspaper editors.
For instance, Paul Dacre, the former editor of the Daily Mail, has revealed that Diana appreciated the newspaper's support during the collapse of her marriage to the then-Prince Charles. He also recalled that he remained in regular contact with her during that difficult phase. Moving ahead, another royal insider stated, “She (Diana) was incredibly media savvy. She couldn’t control every headline, but she knew she could shape the conversation by working with journalists she respected. She played the long game.”
However, recently, Harry found himself at the center of a major legal setback after losing his high-profile case against the publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday. He and several other celebrities had accused Associated Newspapers of illegally collecting private information through methods such as phone hacking, listening to voicemails, and impersonation to obtain personal details. However, the court dismissed all of his claims, bringing an end to what is believed to be one of his biggest lawsuits against a British newspaper.
In his 463-page judgment, the judge said the claims presented as evidence were too old to be considered, with some even dating back 20 to 30 years. This delay in bringing the case was one of the main reasons the court dismissed it altogether. In a statement following the judgment, Associated Newspapers said, “Associated Newspapers welcomes today’s judgment, which is an overwhelming victory for the Daily Mail and its journalists, and for a free press generally."
As reported by The Mirror, they added, “Mr Justice Nicklin today cleared the Daily Mail and The Mail on Sunday, and dismissed every single one of the 97 allegations made by the claimants."
