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Celebrity

24th Jul 2020

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle sue over paparazzi photos of son Archie

Jade Hayden

meghan and harry

“To protect their young son’s right to privacy…”

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are suing over recently paparazzi photos of their son, Archie.

The couple’s lawyer said via a statement today that the Duke and Duchess are suing to protect their son’s privacy from “drones, helicopters, and telephoto lenses.”

The suit is being filed in California, where the family now lives after stepping away from their royal duties earlier this year.

“Every individual and family member in California is guaranteed by law the right to privacy in their home,” said lawyer Michael Kump.

“No drones, helicopters or telephoto lenses can take away that right.

“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are filing this lawsuit to protect their young son’s right to privacy in their home without intrusion by photographers, and to uncover and stop those who seek to profit from these illegal actions.”

Harry and Meghan’s son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, is 14 months old. He is the couple’s first and only child.

Harry and Meghan previously stated that they wanted their son to be able to grow up without the consistent scrutiny of the media. The couple relocated to the States in January of this year after announcing their decision to step away from their royal duties.

This comes after the couple told several UK tabloid newspapers, the Daily Mail, the Sun, the Mirror and the Express, that they would no longer be working with them. 

In a letter issued to each outlet, Harry and Meghan said that they had “watched people they know – as well as complete strangers – have their lives completely pulled apart for no good reason, other than the fact that salacious gossip boosts advertising revenue.”

Buckingham Palace

“It is gravely concerning that an influential slice of the media, over many years, has sought to insulate themselves from taking accountability for what they say or print—even when they know it to be distorted, false, or invasive beyond reason,” read the letter.

“When power is enjoyed without responsibility, the trust we all place in this much-needed industry is degraded.

“There is a real human cost to this way of doing business and it affects every corner of society (…) With that said, please note that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will not be engaging with your outlet. There will be no corroboration and zero engagement.”

Topics:

royal family