Prince Harry has opened up about his views on the intense scrutiny surrounding him and Meghan Markle, especially in light of recent divorce rumors.
At The New York Times’ 2024 DealBook Summit on December 4, the royal discussed how he copes with the persistent speculation about his marriage to Meghan Markle, whom he wed in 2018.
Andrew Ross Sorkin, an NYT columnist, mentioned to Prince Harry that a simple ‘Google News’ search about him reveals that there is a ‘constant fascination’ with his every move.
“They’re fascinated by Meghan is in California right now, and you’re here,” Sorkin remarked. “And there’s articles left and right about, you know, ‘Why are you making, doing independent events? Why aren’t you doing them together?'”
Sorkin asked whether this kind of scrutiny is ‘normal’ for Harry, referencing a recent report that highlighted Markle’s presence in California while Harry was in New York, speculating about a potential separation.
Sorkin added: “Is that a good thing for you, in a way, that there’s so much interest in you?”
Prince Harry candidly expressed his thoughts on the persistent attention he and his family face.
He remarked that it’s ‘definitely not a good thing’ how much media attention is focused on him and Markle, stating: “Apparently we’ve bought or moved house 10, 12 times. We’ve apparently divorced maybe 10, 12 times as well. So it’s just like, what?”
Despite this, being the subject of press stories isn’t new to Prince Harry, who has experienced it ‘since [he] was a kid’.
“I’ve seen stories written about myself that aren’t exactly based on reality. I’ve seen stories about members of my family, friends, strangers, all sorts of people,” he added.
“And I think when you grow up within that environment, you do find yourself questioning the validity of the information but also what other people are thinking of that as well, and how dangerous it can be over the course of time.”
When asked about his thoughts on those who write such stories, Prince Harry provided his perspective.
He concluded: “It’s hard to keep up with, but that’s why you just sort of ignore it. The people I feel most sorry about are the trolls.
“Their hopes are just built and built, and it’s like, ‘Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes,’ and then it doesn’t happen. So I feel sorry for them. Genuinely, I do.”