Earl Spencer: Media coverage of Harry and Meghan has a “cancerous impact,” as it did on Diana

Earl Spencer told the BBC that the way the media is treating Prince Harry and Meghan echoes the experience of his sister, Princess Diana.

He described the media coverage as having “a cancerous impact on their lives” and stressed that society should learn from what happened to Diana.

Speaking to Laura Kuenssberg at his Althorp estate, Earl Spencer said tabloid articles about Diana, Harry and Meghan could be “really, really unpleasant.” He added that he had seen “tears of despair” in his sister’s eyes when she spoke about the consequences of media coverage, and described Diana as a person who was highly sensitive to criticism.

According to Earl Spencer, Diana was “very badly hounded” by media criticism. He said it was painful to see “echoes of this” in the treatment of Prince Harry and Meghan, clarifying that he was not speaking on behalf of the couple, but from his own experience with his sister.

The comments come just a few weeks after Harry and Meghan returned to the United Kingdom, six years after they stepped back from royal duties and moved to California. The couple have long been critical of the way they have been treated by the British press.

In their 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Harry accused the tabloids of creating a “toxic environment” of control and fear. Meghan, meanwhile, said in their 2022 Netflix series that, in her view, the media would find ways to attack them despite her efforts.

Earl Spencer also spoke about his relationship with his nephews. He said there was a perception that he was “on Harry’s side,” but stressed that he stood on the side of both of Diana’s sons and that he would be there for them if they needed him.

The comments about Harry and Meghan come at a time when Earl Spencer has also become involved in a public dispute with the Palace over his recollections of King Charles following Diana’s death.

Earl Spencer has insisted that he is telling the truth about a telephone conversation with Charles after Diana’s death in 1997. The Palace, on the other hand, has disputed his account, arguing that the pain of loss can affect memories and judgment.

In his comments, Earl Spencer said he had told family and friends about the conversation at the time because, in his view, what had been said was “monstrous.” He insisted that he remembered the words used and declared: “I am telling the truth.”

Princess Diana died in a car accident in Paris on 31 August 1997. In his speech at her funeral, Earl Spencer criticized the media for its unrelenting attention on his sister.

Meanwhile, Earl Spencer’s book, “The Swan Song: Diana, My Sister,” is due to be released next week and, according to the text, is expected to be critical of the Royal Family.