Like Diana, Harry has a complicated relationship with the press. His emotional pleas are doomed to fail

His decision to use a website to make his statement sets him from the old way royals communicated with plebs. He’s embarked on a course which guarantees more coverage of the sort he finds abhorrent

The most telling part of Prince Harry’s long and emotional statement about his family’s relationship with the media were his final sentences: “We thank you, the public, for your continued support. It is hugely appreciated. Although it may not seem like it, we really need it.”

Is this the first time a member of the British royal family has asked citizens to support them in peacetime? What kind of support is Harry seeking? Prayer, chanting, positive messages on Instagram?

It’s as if the royal couple imagine they are victims, and need loyal subjects on their side in a war against forces of evil: the nasty press.