Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have had much media attention over recent years, including being involved in high-profile legal cases to protect their privacy.
In preview clips from their anticipated and upcoming interview with Oprah Winfrey, Prince Harry talked about “history repeating itself” — thought to be a reference to the death of his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales. She was being chased in a car by the paparazzi when she was killed.
And it seems that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are not the only royals to push back against unwanted attention from the paparazzi, as Marcia Moody revealed in her book about the Duchess of Cambridge — Kate: A Biography.
According to royal author Marcia Moody, like the former American actress, Kate Middleton‘s life was unbearable because the paparazzi and photographers constantly hounded her while she was going about her business.
While the first few years Prince William and Kate Middleton dated were mostly private while they were studying, the couple’s lives soon became more public again when they graduated from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland and moved back to London.
After being followed all day by the same photographer who then snapped a picture of Kate on a bus and published it, Prince William became “very angry” to the point he wrote a legal letter to newspaper editors.
The picture had been taken while Kate was traveling to a job interview and prompted Prince William to have a discussion with Kate and her father about taking legal action after doing his own research on privacy laws.
The letter remained confidential but requested of newspaper editors that they keep the details of Kate Middleton’s life private.
Moody wrote: “In October, [Kate] was photographed on a bus while going for a job interview. It was argued that there was no difference being photographed on a bus than from being photographed walking down the street or shopping with her mother, but the big difference this time was that Kate had been followed by the photographer all day. On instructions from William, who had discussed the matter with Kate and her father, a legal letter to newspaper editors was issued requesting that details of Kate’s private life remain private.”
However, two years later, Duchess of Cambridge was left distressed after being harassed by the paparazzi outside of her home on her birthday, and an angry William issued a heavily-worded statement that read: “Prince William is very unhappy at the paparazzi harassment of his girlfriend. He wants, more than anything, for it to stop. Miss Middleton should, like any private individual, be able to go about her everyday business without this kind of intrusion. The situation is proving unbearable for all those concerned.”
The Duke of Cambridge was reportedly “very angry” and “frustrated” about the paparazzi’s attention, according to friends who spoke a few years later about the incidents.
While both Prince William and Duchess Kate fully understand how unbearable Meghan’s life is with the constant media scrutiny, they are said to be “appalled” by her and Prince Harry’s decision to share their grievances with the world.
A source told Us Weekly: “It’s just beyond the pale for William and Kate, especially in light of the dreadful timing with [Prince] Philip in the hospital. They are utterly aghast.”
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s upcoming interview will air on CBS this Sunday, March 7th.
