A new documentary about the media and the royal family is bringing all the drama. The Princes and the Press, which aired its first part on Nov. 22 in the UK via the BBC, gave insight into the differences in media coverage between two royal couples: the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. And since we all know how the press has treated Harry and Meghan, it’s safe to say the royal fam isn’t exactly thrilled about the doc.
The royals have since put the BBC on blast over “overblown and unfounded claims” being aired in the documentary. “A free, responsible and open press is of vital importance to a healthy democracy. However, too often it is overblown and unfounded claims from unnamed sources that are presented as facts and it is disappointing when anyone, including the BBC, gives them credibility,” Buckingham Palace, Clarence House and Kensington Palace said in a joint statement.
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According to the BBC, the doc aims to provide context for the princes’ fraught relationship with the media. The first part examined the tensions between the two brothers following the queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012, including interviewees who revealed how the various royal households are willing to turn on each other by sharing less than kind info to the press. The royal tea appears to be pretty scalding.
Despite the royals being unhappy, the BBC stood by the documentary and chairman Richard Sharp made a statement affirming their decision.
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“The BBC is a national institution and we approach our relationships with the other national institutions with great care and thought,” he said. “The Royal Family is at the centre of our identity. Its underlying importance is unequivocal and we have tremendous respect for all aspects of the Royal Family in all that they undertake and do. From time to time, this organisation [sic] produces programmes [sic] which may or may not meet with full agreement with different parts of the establishment. Our job is to get that right, to be independent, to be respectful.”
The second part of the documentary will focus on 2018 to 2021, which includes Harry and Meghan’s engagement and wedding and the birth of their son, Archie. As of yet, Harry and Meghan have not publicly commented on the first part of the special. Currently, the doc is unavailable in Canada for viewers to watch.
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