Kensington Palace confirmed the existence of a relationship between Prince Harry of Wales and Meghan Markle in a quite unexpected way: with harsh criticism of its coverage by the media.
According to the palace, Markle has been exposed to "a wave of abuse and harassment" that includes "slander on the front page of a national newspaper, the racist subtext of opinion articles, and the blatant racism and s---sm of the trolls on social media.
And that - the statement states - is just the public part of what has become a daily struggle that has also included legal battles, bribery attempts and "the bombardment of almost all of the friends, colleagues and loved ones" of the 35-year-old actress.
"In the last week they have crossed the line," maintains the unusual statement, made public at the request of the fifth in the line of succession in British tone.
In it, Harry also declares himself concerned for the safety of the actress and "deeply disappointed at not having been able to protect her."
As the son of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer, Harry has been accustomed to media attention since early childhood and "although he has never been completely comfortable with it... he has tried to develop a thick skin," it is claimed. in the statement.
But, before her courtship with the prince, Markle was best known for her participation in the American television series "Suits."
And, in the words of Kensington Palace, "it is not fair that a few months after her relationship" with the prince, the actress "is caught up in such a storm."
"He knows that commentators will say that 'it's the price she has to pay' and that 'this is part of the game'. But he doesn't agree at all. This is not a game: it's his life and hers," he adds. .
The relationship between Harry and Markle, which until Tuesday had not been confirmed by the royal house, had been the subject of abundant speculation in recent weeks.
And according to BBC royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell, British editors may respond to the prince's request to "stop and reflect before doing more damage."
But, as Witchell explains, it is unlikely to have any effect on the international media, given that there is considerable financial interest in publishing stories about a relationship between an American actress and a British prince.
