Earl Spencer has said the relationship between the press and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex “echoes” the way the media treated his sister Diana, Princess of Wales. In an interview with the BBC to be aired on Sunday evening, Spencer described the press’s coverage of Harry and Meghan as having a “cancerous influence,” adding it would be “beholden on people to learn from Diana’s example.” He said: “If you look at an article in a tabloid about Diana or the couple that you were mentioning, Harry and Meghan, you know, they can be really, really unpleasant. And I think it would be really beholden on people to learn from Diana’s example. I’m not here to speak for Harry and Meghan, but for anyone who’s being destroyed in this way daily, it must be such a cancerous influence in their life.” Camilla praises ‘life-enhancing power’ of books amid Earl Spencer memoir controversy. He said Diana was “really brought low” by criticism she received from the media, adding it was a pity to see “echoes of that” in the press coverage of Harry and Meghan. Spencer’s latest comments come after he accused King Charles of gaslighting him following Buckingham Palace’s response to explosive claims that Charles said “we’ll forget her soon enough” after Diana’s death. He has made a series of damning claims about the king in a new memoir chronicling Diana’s life that prompted the palace to push back, saying: “The pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason.” Spencer said: “It was astonishingly provocative and below the belt because it was essentially trying to say I’d lied without the king being able to deny what I’d said. I also thought it was a rather poor imitation of the ‘recollections may vary’ quote, which was a much more elegant way of putting things, but in these circumstances entirely out of place.” He added that “Diana would be cheering from the rafters at this book.” In response to the claims made in the memoir, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said on Wednesday: “While we do not comment on books as a matter of principle, His Majesty is mindful that the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and colour memory in ways others do not recognise, even many years after such a loss.” Skip past newsletter promotion. Free newsletter | Every weekday. Sign up to First Edition. Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what’s happening and why it matters. Enter your email. Sign up. After newsletter promotion. In an extract of the BBC interview released on Friday, Spencer said he was telling the truth and described the king’s comments about his sister as “monstrous.” Asked whether he had evidence of the king’s comments, he told the BBC: “I told friends and family straight away, close friends and family, about what had been said, because it was so monstrous.” The Sussexes, who returned to the UK from the US on 26 August, have long been critical of their treatment by the media, with Harry in 2021 telling Oprah Winfrey the tabloid press had created a “toxic environment.”
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs Earl Spencers Comments on Harry Meghan and the Media
Beginner Questions
Who is Earl Spencer
Charles Spencer the 9th Earl Spencer He is Princess Dianas younger brother and therefore Prince Harrys uncle
What did Earl Spencer say
He said the medias treatment of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reminds him of what his sister Diana went through before her death in 1997
Who are Harry and Meghan
Prince Harry is King Charless younger son and the late Princess Dianas son Meghan Markle is his wife an American former actress They stepped back from royal duties in 2020 and now live in California
When did Earl Spencer say this
He has made similar comments more than once including in interviews around 20212023 and in his 2024 memoir A Very Private School
What does media treatment mean here
It means how newspapers TV and online outlets cover someone including paparazzi photos harsh headlines and constant intrusion into their private lives
Intermediate Questions
Why does Earl Spencer compare Meghan to Diana
He sees a pattern intense press scrutiny negative headlines and constant intrusion that he believes contributed to Dianas unhappiness and her death in a car crash while being chased by paparazzi
What happened to Diana that people compare this to
Diana was followed constantly had her private life splashed across tabloids and faced a aggressive press campaign She spoke openly about the toll it took on her mental health
What did Harry and Meghan say about the media
In their 2021 Oprah interview and their Netflix series they described racist and hostile coverage leaked stories and a lack of protection from the royal family Harry has also blamed the press for Meghans miscarriage and suicidal thoughts
Did the royal family respond
Buckingham Palace said the family was saddened by their claims and that they would address issues privately The palace has not directly commented on Earl Spencers comparison
Is the comparison fair
Supporters say yes both women faced relentless tabloid hostility Critics say the situations differ Diana was a royal insider and global icon while Meghan chose to step back and can pursue legal action more easily
Advanced Questions
