Prince Harry defends Princess Diana’s fears, fights tabloid intrusion, and wins public praise while Prince William faces backlash for his comments.
Left Image by Robbie Dale, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons and Middle Image by John Mathew Smith & www.celebrity-photos.com, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
The British royal family has long been the subject of global fascination, whether it be their triumphs or tragedies. Among all its chapters, the most heartbreaking one is the untimely death of Princess Diana. Prince William and Prince Harry, her two sons, have carried their mother’s legacy, but their public perception is quite different.
The latter has secured a victory against tabloids and is currently being praised by many. On the other hand, Prince William is being criticized to no extent for the comments he made about his mother. Let’s understand the whole fiasco and the stark difference in how the brothers have approached their shared history.
Prince William and Prince Harry’s diverging views on their mother’s struggles
Prince William remarked that his mother’s fears were fueled due to “fear, paranoia, and isolation,” due to BBC’s failures, and his statement drew in a lot of criticism (via ITV). He claimed that BBC employees used unfair practices to secure an interview with Princess Diana.
Even though William meant to call out the actions of the press, his usage of the word “paranoia” is what some users interpreted as dismissing Diana’s genuine fears, particularly when there was evidence of unlawful media practices that targeted her.
In contrast, Prince Harry defended his mother’s intuition and maintained that she was not paranoid, and was being hacked (via ITV). He reflected on his own experience, drawing parallels between the struggles he had with intrusive tabloid behavior. He asserted that she had every reason to fear the media.
Harry’s legal fight and Murdoch UK Tabloid’s apology
Prince Harry has always opposed malpractices in media and has taken on many fights that have defined his public persona. As per reports, his most recent case was against Rupert Murdoch’s New Group Newspapers, which led to them apologizing to the royal family (via NY Times).
We acknowledge and apologize for the distress caused to the duke and the damage inflicted on relationships, friendships, and family.
In the settlement, they acknowledged using his personal information that was obtained unlawfully and also apologized for their past intrusions into Diana’s privacy. Harry is being hailed for being a seeker of justice and being victorious in the same.
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Netizens are more than happy to see him take active steps against the media that is held responsible for his mother’s death. On the other hand, William’s quieter approach, which involved settlements, has been looked down upon by many, as people value justice and transparency.