Britain's Prince Harry and his wife Meghan reignited their simmering feud with the press on Sunday as they cut ties with major UK-based tabloids. In a letter to the editors of the four newspapers and their associated titles, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex said they would "not be engaging with your outlet" as they criticised “an economy of clickbait and distortion”. The message from the couple, who gave up their jobs as working royals at the end of last month and have an increasingly tense relationship with the press, was sent to <em>The Sun</em>, <em>Daily Mail</em>, <em>Daily Express</em> and <em>Daily Mirror</em>. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex insisted they believed a "free press" was a "cornerstone of democracy" and their new policy is "not about shutting down public conversation or censoring accurate reporting". "It is gravely concerning that an influential slice of the media, over many years, has sought to insulate themselves from taking accountability for what they say or print - even when they know it to be distorted, false, or invasive beyond reason," the letter read. "When power is enjoyed without responsibility, the trust we all place in this much needed industry is degraded." Prince Harry, Queen Elizabeth's grandson and sixth in line to the British throne, has previously spoken of his fear that his new family could be exposed to the same media scrutiny his mother Princess Diana faced. The couple said reporting could not "be based on a lie". "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," they wrote. Last year, Prince Harry said he would sue <em>The Sun</em> and the <em>Daily Mirror</em> over the media phone hacking scandal while Meghan began legal action against the<em> Mail on Sunday</em> over the publication of a letter she wrote to her father. The next stage of that case will be heard in court this week. The couple now live in Los Angeles with their young son Archie.
