From wild child to golden royal, Prince Harry has become everyone’s favorite royal family member over the years. And when the media caught wind of him dating Meghan Markle back in 2016, everyone wanted to get a glimpse of his gorgeous girlfriend. Now, Meghan and Harry are married, of course — and thanks to the news, we know they’re expecting their first child. But how much of the child will we actually see once Meghan gives birth?
Harry has a sordid past with the media, and it all started with the death of his mother, Princess Diana. We suspect this could deeply impact how open Meghan and Harry are with the public and their baby.
Harry has blamed the press on his mother’s death in the past
Princess Diana and Prince Harry | AFP/Stringer/Getty Images
Harry’s relationship with the media has been tense since he was a child. Town & Country notes Duncan Larcombe, writer of Prince Harry: The Inside Story, claims, “In Harry’s mind, it was the press that killed his mother. I know that because he’s told me that several times privately.” And many would agree with the young royal, as reports claim the car crash Princess Diana was killed from came as a result of a high-speed chase from the paparazzi.
He also grew up with his father Prince Charles, showing plenty of contempt for the media as well. Charles was caught in 2005 muttering, “I hate doing this … I hate these people,” to Harry and William before his wedding.
Harry hasn’t always been shown in a favorable light, either
While his mother’s death certainly put him at odds with the media from a young age, the scrutiny didn’t end there. NBC News notes paparazzi caught Harry in a seriously unflattering light many times when he was in 20s. The royal was photographed wearing a Nazi armband while attending a costume party in 2005, for example. And though Harry apologized, he was hit again in 2012 with more negative headlines. It was the year he was set to be deployed to Afghanistan, and he was filmed naked while taking part in a pool party in Las Vegas. And another story claimed Harry spent $10,000 on champagne while visiting a nightclub.
Harry hasn’t completely shut out the media, however. As he’s grown older, he’s learned to develop a better relationship with them. As Larcombe says, it’s vital to have a good relationship with the press when you’re a royal. “You know there’s an old adage you keep your friends close and your enemies closer,” he said.
Meghan has also been ill-prepared for the media in the past
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry | Chris Jackson/Getty Images
If there’s anyone who can relate to media attention, it’s Meghan Markle. While she’s in the royal family now, her previous work as an actress has thrust her into the spotlight in the past. She’s also noted, however, that she’s gained more attention than ever before since dating a royal and marrying into the family. And, thanks to her tumultuous family life, all of the attention hasn’t always been wanted.
Harry has even had to issue statements in the past to protect Meghan. Forbes notes Kensington Palace released a statement when Meghan and Harry were dating that said a lot of the press coverage of Meghan had “racial undertones” and that there was a “line crossed.” It also said that there were waves of “defamatory stories” that were affecting Meghan and her mother’s life.
Will they hide their child? Probably not
So, will we get many glimpses of Harry and Meghan’s child, or will they hide the baby at all costs? Town & Country notes Larcombe thinks the couple may take an approach similar to Prince William and Kate Middleton. William and Kate take their own photos of the children and post them on social media so the press never have to get too close to snap their own photos, subsequently keeping them at arm’s length.
There’s also the issue of keeping the family relevant. If Harry and Meghan tried to shut themselves off from the public completely, people would lose interest, which also isn’t in their favor. As author and journalist Penny Junor said to NBC News, “They need to be seen, the public needs to take an interest. Out of sight, they lose their relevance and it’s goodbye to the monarchy.” For this reason, we’re sure the baby won’t be too hidden from the public, though what we get to see may be heavily curated by the couple.
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