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It may have passed you by, but there’s a right royal rumpus going on at the moment. The Sussexes want out of The Firm and they are, in no small part, blaming the media for feeling this way.

On these pages, Editor Daniel Johnson explained why he does not believe the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, has been treated in a racist manner by British media. While I am loath to

disagree with the boss, on this occasion I do. A brief look at the different way Meghan Markle has been treated compared to the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, shows this clearly.

Buzzfeed compiled 20 headlines that showed the different ways the two duchesses had been treated for doing similar things — Kate positively, Meghan not so. While I think a couple of examples

are stretching things a little bit, the point is broadly well made. But Kate was also treated toughly by the press. We all remember “Waity Katie,” and it wasn’t Meghan Markle’s boobs that

appeared across international media. The British press, it’s worth pointing out, refused to print the intrusive pictures uncensored. Believing there has been racism directed towards Meghan

by the media, as I absolutely do, makes it harder to make this second point, but make it I must. For a good while, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were lauded by the media. There was

excitement when they first appeared in pubic together and generally gushing coverage of their wedding. Columnists and reporters — and the country at large — were, I think, pleased to see the

modernising face of the Royal family. They embraced it. It was the subsequent lack of access to the Sussexes which started to agitate the press, and which over time became something quite

sinister. The sneering at a woman of colour coming in and shaking things up is there for all to see. It is not acceptable. While the Duke and Duchess of Sussex may have rightly been upset by

the racist tone of the some of the coverage, that isn’t the complaint they’ve made publicly. In October 2019 Prince Harry said in a statement: “Unfortunately, my wife has become one of the

latest victims of a British tabloid press that wages campaigns against individuals with no thought to the consequences — a ruthless campaign that has escalated over the past year, throughout

her pregnancy and while raising our newborn son.” The statement from the couple when announcing they were stepping back from frontline Royal duties actually made no reference to the media.

However, their new ‘Sussex Royal’ website said they “will be adopting a revised media approach to ensure diverse and open access to their work”. They said that they will “provide access to

credible media outlets focused on objective news reporting to cover key moments and events.” They, of course, will decide what is “credible”, and bypass mainstream media and use social

media. Furthermore, they unilaterally declared that they will not participate in the decades old Royal Rota system designed to give media access to the Royal family. Prince Harry has long

blamed the media for the death of his mother, believing she was hounded. Of course, Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed were being chased by paparazzi the night of their fatal crash. I do then get

where the anger comes from, but a few stories they don’t agree with is rather different to a paparazzi chase. Yes, coverage today is intense, but I do think it’s moved on from those days.

The reality is Prince Harry was born into the Royal family, a position of privilege that comes with responsibility, including being accountable via the media to the public that funds you. He

has also happily used the media to promote causes important to him. As I say, it seems they were quite content to have all the positive coverage around their wedding. Furthermore, Meghan

Markle was a celebrity before her Royal ascent, so is surely used to media interest, although perhaps US celebrity coverage is more fawning than UK coverage of public figures. Ultimately she

knew what she was marrying into. Other Royal girlfriends have decided that it wasn’t the life for them. Meghan did not. And so we continue with the days of coverage and debate, including

this column. Perhaps one day the media and the Royals will learn to get along in the public interest.