Is Meghan Markle being ‘vilified’ like Diana?
Actor George Clooney claims ‘history repeating itself’ as pregnant Duchess ‘pursued’ by press
George Clooney has claimed Meghan Markle is being “pursued and vilified” by the media in the same way that Princess Diana was in the 1990s.
The Hollywood star, who is friends with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, said it was “frustrating” to see how the Royal wife and former fellow actor is being treated.
Speaking at a press event in California for his new Catch-22 TV miniseries, Clooney said: “She’s a woman who is seven months pregnant and she is being pursued and vilified and chased in the same way that Diana was, and it’s history repeating itself. And we’ve seen how that ends.”
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
As CNN notes, Prince Harry’s mother “had a notoriously difficult relationship with parts of the British media” and died in a car accident in 1997 while being pursued by photographers.
“Meghan has also faced intense interest from the unsparing UK press since her engagement to Prince Harry was announced in 2017,” says the news site.
Her estranged father, Thomas, and half-sister, Samantha, have taken part in several “tell all” interviews, even leaking details of a personal letter allegedly written by the Duchess.
A supposed rift with her sister-in-law, the Duchess of Cambridge, has also resulted in online abuse against both Royals.
But The Times’ Valentine Low insists that the comparisons between the treatment of Meghan and Diana are “utter fantasy”.
“There are no crowds of paparazzi waiting for her every time she leaves Kensington Palace. No one is spying on her in the gym. No one is listening in on her phone calls. Her private life is not being exposed in the tabloids on a weekly basis,” he writes.
Aside from a couple of incidents that overstepped the mark, it is “remarkable how little intrusion there has been”, Low continues.
Indeed, more than two decades on from Diana’s death, we are living in an era that “has arguably never seen royal privacy more respected by the press”, says Camilla Tominey, The Daily Telegraph’s associate editor.
She claims royal protection officers are now “so scrupulous about unauthorised images that they even make members of the public delete illicit mobile phone pictures and footage”.
An unnamed photographer told Tominey that new regulations introduced by the Independent Press Standards Organisation in the wake of the Leveson Inquiry “have had a massive effect on us, which is why you simply don’t see pap shots of the royals in the papers any more”.
Veteran royal reporter Robert Jobson added: “The only vilification of Meghan is coming from her own family and a few online lunatics.”
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Today's political cartoons - April 18, 2024
Cartoons Thursday's cartoons - impeachment Peanuts, record-breaking temperatures, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Pros and cons of solar energy
Pros and cons Solar power could become the primary source of electricity worldwide by 2050 – but there are still clouds in the forecast
By Rebecca Messina, The Week UK Published
-
Post Office's Capture software to be reviewed over 'glitches'
Speed Read Solicitor representing accused postmasters says flaws in the IT system follow 'very similar pattern' to Horizon
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
'Manipulated' photo of UK's Princess Kate spiked
speed read The first official image of Kate Middleton since January has been retracted
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Princess of Wales to remain in hospital for two weeks as King prepares for prostate treatment
Speed Read The timing of the two royal medical announcements was said to be an 'unavoidable coincidence'
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
The 'royal racists' row: a tawdry PR stunt?
Talking Point Dutch translator said she merely translated Endgame manuscript she was given
By The Week UK Published
-
Endgame: Omid Scobie's latest book taking aim at the royals
Why Everyone's Talking About The King 'comes in for a walloping' in new royal exposé
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Meghan and Harry: the end of their $20m Spotify deal
Talking Point The axing of Archetypes isn’t just about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex
By The Week Staff Published
-
Prince Harry and Meghan: ‘near catastrophic car chase’ in the spotlight
Talking Point Brush with US paparazzi has echoes of Princess Diana but some have questioned the timing
By Jamie Timson Published
-
The Tig: a look back at Meghan Markle’s lifestyle blog
In Depth Renewal of site’s trademark has sparked speculation of an imminent relaunch
By Julia O'Driscoll Published
-
King Charles hands ‘Duke of Edinburgh’ title to Prince Edward
Speed Read Report claims there has been ‘much to-ing and fro-ing’ over the move
By The Week Staff Published