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How Prince Harry鈥檚 attitude toward the press will affect the royal wedding

"The chance of leaving journalists out in the street for the royal wedding is a gift for him"

How Prince Harry鈥檚 attitude toward the press will affect the royal wedding

"The chance of leaving journalists out in the street for the royal wedding is a gift for him"

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How Prince Harry鈥檚 attitude toward the press will affect the royal wedding

"The chance of leaving journalists out in the street for the royal wedding is a gift for him"

Six hundred lucky guests will witness Prince Harry and Meghan Markle exchange vows on Saturday. Only one of those people will be a reporter. And just four photojournalists will be stationed outside of St. George Chapel with prime spots to snap the first images of the new couple. Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles' wedding hosted 30 cameras from the BBC alone and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge invited six as guests, two photographers from each British paper plus others inside covering the event.There are official reasons for the press snub 鈥� namely space and that it鈥檚 not a state event, meaning the royal family is paying. But if his long and tumultuous relationship with the media is any indication, Prince Harry doesn鈥檛 mind shutting them out.鈥淗arry鈥檚 attitude towards the press is he doesn鈥檛 like the press,鈥� said Duncan Larcombe, who covered Harry for more than a decade as The Sun鈥檚 royal editor. 鈥淭he chance of leaving journalists out in the street for the royal wedding is a gift for him.鈥漃rince Harry鈥檚 relationship with the media has been a tense and complicated affair. His mother, Princess Diana, died in 1997 after her car crashed into a wall while it was pursued by paparazzi. 鈥淚n Harry鈥檚 mind, it was the press that killed his mother. I know that because he鈥檚 told me that several times privately,鈥� said Larcombe, who wrote "Prince Harry: The Inside Story."In 1999, journalists agreed to a rare set of rules giving Harry and his brother Prince William privacy while they were at school. As soon as he graduated, there were unflattering headlines about Harry being a partier, fighting with journalists and infamously sporting a Nazi get-up at a costume party. He blames the unrelenting media attention for ruining his relationships with Chelsy Davy and Cressida Bonas, as well, Larcombe details in his book. So when he started dating Markle, he made sure history didn鈥檛 repeat itself. In November 2016, the couple made their relationship official with a scathing statement detailing "nightly legal battles to keep defamatory stories out of paper," press commentary with "racial undertones," and the aggressive pursuit of Markle's family and friends by paparazzi.鈥淗is girlfriend, Meghan Markle, has been subject to a wave of abuse and harassment,鈥� read the note, which was Harry鈥檚 first time publicly acknowledging the relationship. 鈥淗e knows commentators will say this is 鈥榯he price she has to pay鈥� and that 鈥榯his is all part of the game鈥�. He strongly disagrees. This is not a game 鈥� it is her life and his.鈥漌hile most coverage since that letter has been glowing, some tabloids have reported on Markle鈥檚 estranged relatives鈥� displeasure with the royal engagement. 鈥淚 would have no doubt in my mind whatsoever that they will read those bits,鈥� said Larcombe, who says Harry鈥檚 private secretary provides him with clippings. 鈥淚t always surprised me how much Harry reads about himself.鈥滺arry isn鈥檛 the only royal with a strained relationship with the media. Though dozens of BBC cameras captured his wedding to Camilla Parker Bowles, Prince Charles has been clear about his contempt for reporters 鈥� even those at the BBC. In 2005, at a photocall ahead of the nuptials, he was caught saying to his sons, 鈥淚 hate doing this ... I hate these people." When a BBC reporter asked a question about the wedding, Charles muttered, 鈥淏loody people. I can't bear that man. He's so awful, he really is."Harry鈥檚 brother and sister-in-law, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, have been successful keeping the press at arm鈥檚 length with their three kids 鈥� posing for photos at each of their births, first days of school, Christmases and releasing birthday pictures. Larcombe predicts if Harry and Meghan have children they鈥檒l follow that strategy. 鈥淧rince Charles has nothing but contempt for the press. With William it鈥檚 quite calculated 鈥� he thinks he now has to be more standoffish with the press because he鈥檚 carving out his tenure to be the heir to the throne,鈥� Larcombe said. 鈥淲ith Harry, it鈥檚 just instinctive. It鈥檚 just that there are angry feelings there.鈥� So, while logistics are principal in decision-making with the royal wedding, it鈥檚 likely Harry will be relishing his privacy on the big day.鈥淭hey鈥檙e almost using that as an excuse to say to the press: Get lost,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 really ruffled some feathers. Most Fleet Street photographers are feeling snubbed and are very annoyed by it.鈥滾ongtime royal photographers Mark Cuthbert and Tim Rooke tweeted they鈥檙e being forced to pay for standing room on the grass along the carriage route. The U.K. Cabinet office clarified in a statement to Town & Country that the journalist fee covers costs of infrastructure provided by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (a U.K. government department) 鈥� and that the fee is not for the royal household. 鈥淭he charge is to recoup the cost of this infrastructure for the government to ensure that the cost doesn't fall to the taxpayer,鈥� they said in a statement. Cuthbert declined to comment for this article, and a representative for Rooke didn鈥檛 respond to requests for comment.If William and Kate are any indicator, interest in Harry and Meghan will only grow after they wed. Remember the photos of Kate grocery shopping right after the wedding?鈥淚 think they underestimate just how important having a good relationship with the big newspapers and some of the broadcasters really is,鈥� Larcombe said. 鈥淵ou know there鈥檚 an old adage you keep your friends close and your enemies closer.鈥�

Six hundred lucky guests will witness Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on Saturday. Only one of those people will be a reporter. And just four photojournalists will be stationed outside of with prime spots to snap the first images of the new couple.

hosted from the BBC alone and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge six as guests, two photographers from each British paper plus others inside covering the event.

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There are official reasons for the press snub 鈥� namely space and that it鈥檚 not a state event, meaning the royal family is paying. But if his long and tumultuous relationship with the media is any indication, Prince Harry doesn鈥檛 mind shutting them out.

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There will be limited press access at the royal wedding.

鈥淗arry鈥檚 attitude towards the press is he doesn鈥檛 like the press,鈥� said Duncan Larcombe, who covered Harry for more than a decade as The Sun鈥檚 royal editor. 鈥淭he chance of leaving journalists out in the street for the royal wedding is a gift for him.鈥�

Prince Harry鈥檚 relationship with the media has been a tense and complicated affair. His mother, Princess Diana, died in 1997 after her car crashed into a wall while it was pursued by paparazzi. 鈥淚n Harry鈥檚 mind, it was the press that killed his mother. I know that because he鈥檚 told me that several times privately,鈥� said Larcombe, who wrote "."

In 1999, journalists agreed to a rare set of rules giving Harry and his brother Prince William privacy while they were at school. As soon as he graduated, there were unflattering headlines about Harry , and infamously sporting a Nazi get-up . He blames the unrelenting media attention for , as well, Larcombe details in his book. So , he made sure history didn鈥檛 repeat itself.

米兰体育-TV
Getty Images
Prince Harry blamed unrelenting media attention for ruining his relationship with girlfriend Chelsy Davy, according to the book "Prince Harry: The Inside Story."

In November 2016, the couple made their relationship official with a scathing statement detailing "nightly legal battles to keep defamatory stories out of paper," press commentary with "racial undertones," and the aggressive pursuit of Markle's family and friends by paparazzi.

鈥淗is girlfriend, Meghan Markle, has been subject to a wave of abuse and harassment,鈥� , which was Harry鈥檚 first time publicly acknowledging the relationship. 鈥淗e knows commentators will say this is 鈥榯he price she has to pay鈥� and that 鈥榯his is all part of the game鈥�. He strongly disagrees. This is not a game 鈥� it is her life and his.鈥�

While most coverage since that letter has been glowing, some tabloids have reported on displeasure with the royal engagement.

鈥淚 would have no doubt in my mind whatsoever that they will read those bits,鈥� said Larcombe, who says Harry鈥檚 private secretary provides him with clippings. 鈥淚t always surprised me how much Harry reads about himself.鈥�

Harry isn鈥檛 the only royal with a strained relationship with the media. Though dozens of BBC cameras captured his wedding to Camilla Parker Bowles, Prince Charles has been clear about his contempt for reporters 鈥� even those at the BBC. In 2005, at a , he was caught saying to his sons, 鈥淚 hate doing this ... I hate these people." When a BBC reporter asked a question about the wedding, Charles muttered, 鈥淏loody people. I can't bear that man. He's so awful, he really is."

米兰体育-TV
Getty Images
If they have kids, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will likely follow Prince William and Kate Middleton’s lead when it comes to limited press exposure.

Harry鈥檚 brother and sister-in-law, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, have been successful keeping the press at arm鈥檚 length with their three kids 鈥� , , Christmases and . Larcombe predicts they鈥檒l follow that strategy.

鈥淧rince Charles has nothing but contempt for the press. With William it鈥檚 quite calculated 鈥� he thinks he now has to be more standoffish with the press because he鈥檚 carving out his tenure to be the heir to the throne,鈥� Larcombe said. 鈥淲ith Harry, it鈥檚 just instinctive. It鈥檚 just that there are angry feelings there.鈥�

So, while logistics are principal in decision-making with , it鈥檚 likely Harry will be relishing his privacy on the big day.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e almost using that as an excuse to say to the press: Get lost,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 really ruffled some feathers. Most Fleet Street photographers are feeling snubbed and are very annoyed by it.鈥�

Longtime royal photographers Mark Cuthbert and Tim Rooke tweeted they鈥檙e being forced to pay for standing room on the grass along the carriage route.

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This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

The U.K. Cabinet office clarified in a statement to Town & Country that the journalist fee covers costs of infrastructure provided by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (a U.K. government department) 鈥� and that the fee is not for the royal household.

鈥淭he charge is to recoup the cost of this infrastructure for the government to ensure that the cost doesn't fall to the taxpayer,鈥� they said in a statement.

Cuthbert declined to comment for this article, and a representative for Rooke didn鈥檛 respond to requests for comment.

If William and Kate are any indicator, interest in Harry and Meghan will only grow after they wed. Remember of Kate grocery shopping right after the wedding?

鈥淚 think they underestimate just how important having a good relationship with the big newspapers and some of the broadcasters really is,鈥� Larcombe said. 鈥淵ou know there鈥檚 an old adage you keep your friends close and your enemies closer.鈥�