Prince Harry’s groundbreaking statement from 2016 confirming for the first time that he was dating Meghan Markle is no longer available on the British royal family’s website.

In November 2016, Harry’s communications secretary released a rare statement condemning the “wave of abuse and harassment” experienced by his then-girlfriend after news of their romance became public. The statement remained on the royal family’s official website in the years since, but the link is no longer active.

According to Newsweek, the internet archive site Wayback Machine was able to access the link on Dec. 3, 2023, but not a week later on Dec. 10, indicating it was removed during that span.

 

Harry’s spokesperson said in the statement, in part: “His girlfriend, Meghan Markle, has been subject to a wave of abuse and harassment. Some of this has been very public — the smear on the front page of a national newspaper; the racial undertones of comment pieces; and the outright sexism and racism of social media trolls and web article comments. Some of it has been hidden from the public — the nightly legal battles to keep defamatory stories out of papers; her mother having to struggle past photographers in order to get to her front door; the attempts of reporters and photographers to gain illegal entry to her home and the calls to police that followed; the substantial bribes offered by papers to her ex-boyfriend; the bombardment of nearly every friend, co-worker, and loved one in her life.

“Prince Harry is worried about Ms. Markle’s safety and is deeply disappointed that he has not been able to protect her,” he continued. “It is not right that a few months into a relationship with him that Ms. Markle should be subjected to such a storm. He knows commentators will say this is ‘the price she has to pay’ and that ‘this is all part of the game.’ He strongly disagrees. This is not a game — it is her life and his.”

 

 

SAMIR HUSSEIN/SAMIR HUSSEIN/WIREIMAGE

 

The Duke of Sussex, 39, recalled in his memoir, Spare, that he was advised “silence is the best option” regarding the media attention surrounding his newly unveiled romance with the Suits actress, but he pushed for a “course correction immediately.”

“We needed a statement out there,” he wrote in the book. “Within a day we had a draft. Strong, precise, angry, honest.”

Prince Harry said the statement was “everywhere. And changing nothing. The onslaught continued.” He added that the move also made his father, now King Charles, and brother, Prince William, “furious.”

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry attend a service of thanksgiving in London on June 3, 2022.MATT DUNHAM – WPA POOL/GETTY

 

“Because they’d never put out a statement for their girlfriends or wives when they were being harassed,” he wrote.

Prince Harry and Meghan, 42, wed in May 2018 but stepped back as working members of the royal family in 2020, relocating to her home state of California.

The royal family attends the Commonwealth Day service on March 9, 2020.PHIL HARRIS / POOL / AFP/ GETTY

 

The removal of Prince Harry’s statement isn’t the only change to royal.uk since then. In March, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s bios on the website were merged into a joint profile. At the top of the page reads, “As announced in January 2020, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have stepped back as working members of The Royal Family.”

There is also a link out to Meghan and Harry’s recently launched website, sussex.com.

The bottom of the profile page shows links to the announcements that Harry and Meghan would no longer be working royals, including Queen Elizabeth’s 2020 statement following the Sandringham Summit.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry visit Nigeria on May 10, 2024.EMMANUEL OSODI/ANADOLU VIA GETTY

 

“Following many months of conversations and more recent discussions, I am pleased that together we have found a constructive and supportive way forward for my grandson and his family,” she said. “Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much-loved members of my family. I recognize the challenges they have experienced as a result of intense scrutiny over the last two years and support their wish for a more independent life. I want to thank them for all their dedicated work across this country, the Commonwealth and beyond, and am particularly proud of how Meghan has so quickly become one of the family. It is my whole family’s hope that today’s agreement allows them to start building a happy and peaceful new life.”