The second episode of the BBC’s controversial royal family documentary Princes and the Press is set for broadcast on Monday, November 29.
But programme-makers are editing the show right up until the last moment; partly to take in the latest developments in Meghan Markle’s legal action against the Mail on Sunday case, and partly – it seems – to remove the offensive term “Megxit”.
Prince Harry was already clear about his dislike for the term in his speech on the panel entitled The “Internet lie machine” at the RE:WIRED conference on November 9.
He said said that using “Megxit” – to describe his and Meghan’s decision to stand down as working members of the Royal family – was a “Online trolls coined the term “misogynistic term”, which was amplified by media.
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Harry said: “Maybe people know this and maybe they don’t, but the term Megxit was or is a misogynistic term, and it was created by a troll, amplified by royal correspondents, and it grew and grew and grew into mainstream media. But it began with a troll.”
So tomorrow night’s episode of The Princes and the Press, will instead use the much less common term “Sussexit”To describe the “circumstances around the decision of the Sussexes to step down from their senior royal roles”.
The Duchess of Sussex’s lawyer Jenny Afia is expected to appear in the hour-long programme, which is set to cover the tumultuous period from 2018 to 2021, including the birth of Archie Mountbatten-Windsor and royal tours of the Cambridges and Sussexes.
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(Image: Getty Images).
It’s also likely to include coverage of the Martin Bashir scandal, in which the BBC man was found to have faked documents in order to persuade Princess Diana to give him an exclusive interview.
The royal family has not received the Princes and the Press well. Buckingham Palace has dismissed the program. “overblown and unfounded”
BBC wanted to speak with a spokesperson for Palace about certain claims made on the show. But, no previews were available so he declined.
(Image: Getty Images Europe).
Instead a joint statement from Buckingham Palace, Clarence House and Kensington Palace said: “A free, responsible and open press is of vital importance to a healthy democracy.
“However, too often it is overblown and unfounded claims from unnamed sources that are presented as facts and it is disappointing when anyone, including the BBC, gives them credibility.”
Nicholas Witchell (BBCs royal correspondent) admitted that the BBC had upset the royals.
(Image: BBC)
He stated: “There is undoubtedly irritation in the Royal households, but especially at Kensington Palace and especially on the part of Prince William”.
Prince William reportedly stated that he would have had to “seriously consider”In the future, you will be able to deal with the corporation.
A spokesperson for BBC said: “The programme is about how royal journalism is done and features a range of journalists from broadcast and the newspaper industry.”
