In the days after Halloween 2016, the British media revealed that Prince Harry was dating an American actress named Meghan Markle. Within a matter of days, every British outlet was doing a deep dive on Meghan’s romantic, professional, financial and personal history. It was never straight reporting either – outlets like the Sun, the Mail and the Mirror were giddy with racism and sexism as they created blaring headlines about how Meghan was “straight out of Compton” and her various love scenes were on p0rn sites. Prince Harry was furious and he released a statement bitching out the media and trying to, in some way, shield Meghan. Harry’s father and brother were furious about the statement at the time and so much of that weeks-long moment set the tone for everything that came after. Well, according to Newsweek, royal.uk recently deleted Harry’s statement from their online archives.
Prince Harry’s statement admonishing the British media for the “racial undertones of comment pieces” about Meghan Markle has been taken down from the royal family’s official website, Newsweek can reveal.
Harry instructed then Kensington Palace communications secretary Jason Knauf to issue a public broadside against the press in November 2016, just days after the Duke of Sussex’s relationship with Meghan became public knowledge.
For more than seven years, that lengthy and strongly worded statement was recorded for posterity on the royal.uk website, where the monarchy posts press releases, profiles, and official announcements.
Now, though, the link has stopped working, and the internet archive site Wayback Machine last successfully recorded a functioning version of it on December 3, 2023. A further attempt to archive the page on December 10 was unsuccessful, suggesting it was deleted some time in between.
It was a major moment in Harry’s life, as it was the first definitive indication of his now well-established desire to fight the press over its coverage of both himself and Meghan. And in his book Spare, Harry said it left King Charles III and Prince William “furious,” because it made them look bad for not defending their own wives in the same way.
The now-deleted statement came days after an article in The Mail on Sunday proclaiming: “Harry’s girl is (almost) straight outta Compton: Gang-scarred home of her mother revealed—so will he be dropping by for tea?”
I’m going to suggest something especially wild: maybe it’s not important or significant that the royal webmasters deleted the statement? Those people have shown themselves to be really incompetent, in general, and they’ve spent much of the past two years updating royal.uk in various ways which make little to no sense. This statement was deleted, much of Harry and Meghan’s bios were deleted, and there are still parts of the site which still reference QEII as still living. I have no doubt that many royal stories can be attributed to malice, but let’s not forget that incompetence plays a big part too, I’m just saying. Now, they can delete the statement and try to pretend like it never existed, but it really doesn’t work that way at this point. Harry has created his own historical record repeatedly, from Spare to his many lawsuits to the records everyone has kept about the abuse directed at Harry and Meghan.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- The Duke of Sussex meets guests during a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in London.,Image: 507041823, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR SEVEN DAYS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: – / Avalon
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- The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the Queen’s Young Leaders Awards Ceremony at Buckingham Palace, London. The Queen’s Young Leaders Programme, now in its fourth and final year, celebrates the achievements of young people from across the Commonwealth working to improve the lives of people across a diverse range of issues including supporting people living with mental health problems, access to education, promoting gender equality, food scarcity and climate change .,Image: 515509152, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR SEVEN DAYS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289, Model Release: no, Credit line: – / Avalon
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- The Duke and Duchess of Sussex visited the Nelson Mandela Centenary Exhibition at Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall. This exhibition explores the life and times of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (1918 ?Äì 2013) and marks the centenary of his birth. It provides insight into Mandela?Äôs journey from young freedom fighter to becoming the inspiration for an international movement against South Africa?Äôs violent and oppressive apartheid system. The exhibition is jointly curated by the Apartheid Museum in South Africa, the British Anti-Apartheid Movement Archives, and the Southbank Centre.,Image: 515641564, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR SEVEN DAYS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289, Model Release: no, Credit line: – / Avalon
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- 108416, LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – Monday November 11, 2013. Meghan Markle arrives for ‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’ premiere at Leicester Square in London. **UK, FRANCE, AUS, NZ, CHINA, HONG KONG & TAIWAN OUT** Photograph: © i-Images, PacificCoastNews **FEE MUST BE AGREED PRIOR TO USAGE** **E-TABLET/IPAD & MOBILE PHONE APP PUBLISHING REQUIRES ADDITIONAL FEES** LOS ANGELES OFFICE: +1 310 822 0419 LONDON OFFICE: +44 20 8090 4079,Image: 528868499, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS, DIRECT SALES ONLY UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE IN CAPTION – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289, Model Release: no, Credit line: i-Images, PacificCoastNews / Avalon
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- (180925) — LONDON, Sept. 25, 2018 () — Britain’s Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, leaves after attending the Oceania exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts in London, Britain, on Sept. 25, 2018. (/Ray Tang),Image: 534068702, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS excluding China – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289, Model Release: no, Credit line: Ray Tang / Avalon
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- Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend an event at Millennium Point to celebrate International Women’s Day in Birmingham on 8th March 2018,Image: 534151164, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR SEVEN DAYS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289, Model Release: no, Credit line: – / Avalon
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- 173196, Prince Harry and fiancee Meghan Markle during a visit to Cardiff Castle as part of their royal duties. Cardiff, Wales – Thursday January 18, 2018. Photograph: © Avalon.red, PacificCoastNews. Los Angeles Office (PCN): +1 310.822.0419 UK Office (Avalon): +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 sales@pacificcoastnews.com FEE MUST BE AGREED PRIOR TO USAGE,Image: 534295911, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS, DIRECT SALES ONLY UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE IN CAPTION – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red, PacificCoastNews / Avalon
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- DAGENHAM, ENGLAND – APRIL 11: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex meets young people who have been involved in the development of the new Youth Zone as he attends the official opening of the Barking & Dagenham Future Youth Zone on April 11, 2019 in Dagenham, England. The facility is created by the Charity OnSide Youth Zones and is the first of three facilities expected to open in 2019, which will provide a safe environment where young people can come and enjoy themselves, build key skills and raise their aspirations and confidence to create a happier and healthier generation.,Image: 534435979, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR SEVEN DAYS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289, Model Release: no, Credit line: – / Avalon
BRF hiding their racism and not acknowledging what really happened.. shocking 🤯😱😳 this just proves how much the docuseries and Spare were needed.
Agreed.
Seems like an attempt to blur the historic record of the BRF and BM 21st-century racism.
I read that Prince Harry was denied the right to expand his lawsuit to include charges that the BM hired private investigators to illegally snoop into Meghan Markle’s background to the point of getting her Social Security number, and her phone records. So that bit won’t be a part of the legal record as of now. In the far future researchers will have to know what to look for to find it.
I was amused to see so many on Twitter clap back on this report about the palaces, and tagging the palaces, saying “the internet is forever and if you think no one keeps receipts on a backup thumb drive in the Year of Our Beyoncé 2024, then have fun when your FA later turns to FO”.
When it comes to the BRF, I always give the benefit of the doubt to their (and their minions’) worst instincts and actions.
Honest question: How do people end up working for the Royals? I would love to know the whole HR process that goes into these general positions. From shortlisting,to interviews and whether or not the Royals also get to ask any of the more executive candidates some questions.
Up to relatively recently they barely did security checks, even for staff who have direct contact with senior royals. When Piers Morgan was editor of the Mirror one of his journalists, Ryan something? got a job as a footman, giving the phone number of a pub as his reference. He was able to take a camera into Buckingham Palace, took photos of rooms where eg Sophie and Edward stay when there, even of the Queen’s breakfast table – that’s where the story of her having her cornflakes in Tupperware came from.
The journalist even rode on the back of a coach (maybe the Queen’s?) for State Opening of Parliament and Mirror photographer took his pic.
When Mirror published the story they justified it on grounds of “national security” for revealing shoddy vetting process for Royal staff.
Palace’s only victory was to get Mirror to take the photos off its website and never print or distribute them again.
I thought the cornflakes in Tupperware story originated from that nutty documentary they did in the … 60s? 70s? to make them look like ordinary approachable folk. It was Normal Bill 1.0
You know, the one that they aired exactly once and then never allowed to let it see the light of day again.
Trying to re-write their history of racism. It’s too late everyone knows just how racist they are so this won’t be of any help.
It’s like they dont understand how the internet works.
@Susan Collins They are known for paying very low wages. They are not trying to attract the best. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12448965/King-Charles-axe-one-five-middle-managers-doing-similar-jobs.html
It would be funny if Harry get the person who runs their site to post it with a little note “I meant what I said the first time.”
Yeah – hooves = horses not zebras etc. This is most likely just incompetence or general tidying up. Removing that statement has no real world impact whatsoever.
I’m sure the Men in Grey and the palaces’ comms teams are happy to find out then that Harry’s statement has been shared up and down on Xwitter at the usual Squad accounts.
The powers that be on the Island of Left-Behinds still don’t seem to get that the Squad always comes with receipts, especially when it’s about documenting the amateur behavior of the gold-plated advisers, demonstrating again that the RF is *very much a racist family*.
Too bad the taxpayer-funded welfare royals seem to enjoy being dragged so much.
their smart use of social media to bring attention to receipts, hypocrisy, racism and lies will be studied in the future. They’re setting the record straight constantly.
This reminds me a bit of all the All Lives Matter Karens on social media who deleted their comments and likes post Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd, when the whole world starting calling out White Americans for their racism, viciousness, murderous attitudes towards the very people who built this country with their bare hands.
But I screenshot it all – the bashing of Trayvon Martin who was a child attacked in the street by a gun toting yahoo, the they should just comply posts, the vilification of Colin Kapernick (shut up and play football disrespecting the flag – you know what disrespects the flag? Waving a confederate flag in the Capitol building after you assaulted and killed a police officer trying to defend it) the Sandra Bland is no innocent posts and likes).
So when they message me and ask why’d you delete me, I have my arsenal ready. Cause Eff you. And the only reason you came around is you can’t stand to look like the bad guy and you were being called out internationally for your bullshit, your hypocrisy and your hate. So take your all lives matter fakery and go pound sand.
Good thing we have Spare documenting all of their bullshit. That’s the great thing about the Internet. It’s forever. What was that line in the Facebook movie? It’s written in ink, not in pencil.
The Windsors are playing in our faces. This latest is bulletin board material: We are very much a racist family.
Whether the statement was taken down due to malevolence or incompetence, the effect remains the same. It just makes it look like the royal family is cool with racism. Which was already known.
Very interesting… So much for “We are very much NOT a racist family”, eh Bulliam.
This was in reaction to the Dutch version of Endgame containing the names of the royal racists, no? The timing seems to suggest that someone edited this out of the royal site around that time, which doesn’t seem to be an accident. Luckily, due to tons of evidence, it’s going to be really easy to add it back…if this was deleted due to incompetence.
I didn’t know about QEII being referenced as still alive on this site and I just think it’s funny and so on brand for them. They’ll make the most to try to humiliate and demean the Sussexes while still being that incompetent. It’s almost as if they don’t realize that people can see how petty and stupid they are.
No, they deleted it because they wanted to. The other statements regarding their decision to leave remain on the website. They’re on Harry and Meghan’s page of the Royal Family website. The Royal Family is doing everything to confirm that they’re racist.
just playing Devil’s advocate here, they might have removed it since they are linking to sussex.com. So they are leaving it up to Harry to include on his website or not. but it is already part of history despite them trying to be revisionist. we can see reporters backtracking and saying they didn’t say xyz until confronted with receipts. i’m glad Harry wrote spare to capture the stories.
lol, doesn’t matter. I am sure as a true Virgo, Harry has prints and archives of every official and unofficial statement he put out there. Plus we all know what he said and what he put out there to try to shield Meghan from all those racists.
Ps: I save anything of importance specially emails and documents that I send out and I’m not even a public figure.
Same. I will spend all of my energy (for years) coming for someone who tries it with me. I don’t start fights, but I do end them.
Download your DMs and those emails on a work server, people, you never know when you’re going to need them.
Also, I take video of messages I think might be needed in the future, on top of saving the documents. I record myself opening the email, scroll down slowly, and narrate the backstory. It takes a minute, and saves a ton later.
This is erasure plain and simple. Racists do it a lot. Happens right after whitewashing and doubling down. White supremacist playbook is really predictable and boring. Yawn.
Well, if your part to play in encouraging and assisting the BM to abuse the Duchess of Sussex has already been documented by Byline Times and your part the ongoing abuse and harassment of the Sussex family by the press will likely be amplified and expanded upon in an upcoming court case you might want to remove that from your website.
Racists aren’t terribly clever or smart. It’s just so stupid to be as openly racist as the Left-Behinds and the BM continue to be. Hell, they’re doubling down!
Poor things honestly don’t register the fact that the world is bigger and more relevant than their tiny, salty island. And we all see their f*ckery.
Yeah, so the royal firm deleted Prince Harry’s November 2016 press statement in defense of his then girlfriend, Meghan Markle. I guess they don’t realize the statement’s existence, much less H&M’s existence, cannot be deleted. Nor can the royal firm change anything that has occurred before or since.
And they are also dumb. Whats the point?! And by ordens of whose? The one who ordered that was clearly racist. Do they think It makes them look good?