Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have vowed not to engage with four U.K. tabloid newspapers, asserting their coverage is "distorted, false, or invasive beyond reason."
The Sussexes said they refused to engage with the newspaper brands because they would not like to sell themselves for "clickbait."
Editors of the Daily Mail, the Sun, the Express, and the Mirror reportedly were sent a letter citing that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's communications team would cut ties with their papers.
"Please note that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will not be engaging with your outlet," the letter read, which was subsequently also tweeted by reporter Mark Di Stefano.
It was another twist in the newly independent couple's toxic relationship with the tabloid press which chronicled the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's courtship to their stepping down as senior members the royal family. The decision drew judgment from several in the British news media as being self-centered, ill-timed, and self-defeating.
"The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have watched people they know - as well as complete strangers - have their lives completely pulled apart for no good reason, other than the fact that salacious gossip boosts advertising revenue," the letter indicated.
The new treatment will apply to the 4 newspapers, their online mastheads, and their Sunday editions.
The letter was regarded as censorship by the Society of Editors.
According to Executive director Ian Murray, the statement was "sadly a clear attempt to undermine certain sections of the UK media who often ask uncomfortable questions."
Prince Harry and Markle said that the new media regulations corresponded with their abdication from royal duties.
Since they no longer benefit from public funding, they do not have to engage with publications on the royal rota - a circulation of British newspapers that chronicle and attend royal family engagements.
The only line of communication between them and the newspapers would be through their lawyers.
The letter said that the policy is not about avoiding criticism, eradicating public conversation or censoring accurate journalism.
Prince Harry and Markle, who has made a return to Hollywood doing a voiceover for the Disney film "Elephant," emphasized that their decision is not a blanket ban on all media.
The prince apparently did not advise Prince Charles, his father, that he and Markle would be initiating an unprecedented boycott of sections of the U.K. Press in a form of protest over how their lives have been covered.
The Buckingham Palace was stunned. An insider said, "We have been left stunned. They have not taken any of our advice."
The couple's letter criticized the lack of accountability of tabloids and reiterated its human cost. "When power is enjoyed without responsibility, the trust we all place in this much-needed industry is degraded."
David Yelland, a former editor of The Sun, said he does not think there is any upside to Prince Harry and Markle's letter. He acknowledged that the pair had endured much under the glare of the media over the years.
