Prince Harry, wife Meghan in 'near catastrophic car chase' with paparazzi

[jserraglio]

Reuters https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/prince ... 023-05-17/

Here is a timeline of the couple's relationship with the media.

1997: Harry's mother, Princess Diana, is killed on Aug. 31, 1997 in a car crash in Paris alongside her lover Dodi al-Fayed.

2004: Prince Harry scuffles with photographers outside a London nightclub.

2008: An inquest into Diana's death in 2008 concludes she and al-Fayed were unlawfully killed by the grossly negligent driving of her chauffeur Henri Paul and paparazzi photographers pursuing their limousine.

2016

July: Harry, fifth-in-line to the British throne, and Meghan, an actress from Los Angeles, begin their relationship.

November: Harry criticises the media for intruding into his girlfriend's private life, accusing some newspapers of abuse and harassment, some of which he describes as racist.

2018

May: The couple marry in the medieval chapel of Windsor Castle and become the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

October: Harry and Meghan announce she is expecting their first child while in Australia on their first overseas tour.

2019:

March: Buckingham Palace announce Harry and Meghan will set up their own household, breaking from the operation they shared with his elder brother Prince William and his wife Kate. There are media reports of rifts between the two couples.

May: Meghan gives birth to a boy, Archie. The couple invite a small group of media to a photocall, prompting grumbling from parts of the press that had been increasingly critical of the couple.

October: Meghan says she is suing the Mail on Sunday newspaper for printing parts of a letter she wrote to her estranged father. Harry announces he is suing other papers over allegations of phone-hacking.

In a TV documentary, Harry discloses a rift with his brother William. He accuses the media of bullying, comparing it to their treatment of his mother, Princess Diana, before her death in a Paris car crash in 1997.

Meghan says life had been hard as a new mother dealing with intense scrutiny.

2020

January: The couple announce their intention to step back from senior royal roles and become financially independent. They agree to give up their "Royal Highness" titles and in March they move to California.

2021

February: Harry, who served in the armed forces for a decade, wins an apology and damages from the Mail on Sunday over an article claiming he had turned his back on the military.

A London High Court judge rules the same paper breached Meghan's privacy by publishing extracts of her letter.

Buckingham Palace says the couple's split as working members of the royal family is permanent and they will lose their royal patronages.

April: Harry returns to Britain for the funeral of his grandfather Prince Philip, Elizabeth's husband. Pregnant Meghan was advised not to travel.

May: Harry tells U.S. chat show host Oprah Winfrey in an interview how he had turned to drink and drugs to numb the grief he got felt over the death of his mother, killed when her car crashed as it fled press photographers. He says the fear the same might happen to Meghan was one of the main reasons they quit royal duties.

2022

January: Harry begins legal action to challenge a government decision that denied him police protection when in Britain. He later starts a libel claim against the Mail on Sunday over an article saying he had tried to keep the legal action secret.

June: Harry and Meghan return to Britain for celebrations to mark Elizabeth's 70 years on the throne. They are greeted with cheers and some jeers.

September: Harry and Meghan are in Britain when Queen Elizabeth dies. They join William and Kate for a walkabout to meet mourners.

October: Harry joins singer Elton John and others in suing the publisher of the Daily Mail newspaper, alleging phone-tapping and other breaches of privacy.

2023

January: Harry's memoir "Spare" is published, revealing intimate details of his relationships with Charles and William. He later criticises press coverage of the book.

March: Harry makes a surprise appearance at London's High Court at the beginning of his lawsuit against the Daily Mail publisher.

May: Harry attends his father's coronation alone, with Meghan and his children remaining in the United States. He does not play any formal role in the ceremony.