HARRY & MEGHAN’S PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR HELL!
The prince is livid about intrusions into the couple’s life
For someone who has repeatedly been described as overly paranoid and protective, being stalked is Prince Harry’s worst nightmare.
But it’s alleged that’s exactly what’s been happening to the father-ofone, 35, who has discovered that a private investigator has been snooping into his wife Meghan’s life.
Woman’s Day has learned Harry “flew into a rage” when it was recently reported by website Byline Investigates that a UK newspaper had hired a Us-based spy, who posed as a journalist, to access personal information about Meghan in 2016, including her social security number and driver’s licence details.
‘LEAVE MEGHAN ALONE’
At that point, Meghan and Harry had just begun dating, and around the same time he issued an unprecedented, furious statement begging the UK press to “leave his girlfriend alone”.
The prince, who has since quit the royal family, and lives with his now-wife and baby Archie, 14 months, in Los Angeles, has “become even more obsessed with privacy”, say sources, and spends up to $100 million in private security to keep his family safe.
“When he read about this private investigator allegation he lost his mind and immediately had his lawyers fire off a Letter Before Action to The Sun,”
says the insider.
“This is exactly the kind of thing he was trying to avoid for Meghan. And if a tabloid newspaper can so easily hire someone to spy on her, who’s to say that others who wish her harm haven’t done the same thing?”
According to the source, Harry immediately cast his mind back to the time his now-estranged brother Prince William, 38, warned him not to propose to Meghan, also 38, so quickly because he didn’t know her well enough.
“Harry’s imagination went into overdrive and now he suspects nosy palace aides might have done the same thing,” says a source, adding that his mother Princess Diana had similar concerns.
“The laws about investigating people are a little more grey in America than they are in the UK.
“Harry’s freaking out about how many people might have had access to Meghan’s personal information, outside of the palace, and in. But if anyone else has tried it, they can consider his letter to
The Sun as a warning shot.”
While Byline Investigates
chose not to name the private investigator hired by The Sun, the now-retired snoop in question did issue a public
‘He lost his mind and had his lawyers fire off a letter’
apology to the Sussexes. In a statement to the website, he said, “I apologise to Harry, and particularly to Meghan Markle, whom I targeted. I never wanted to cause Meghan Markle harm. I don’t think I even realised who she was at the time, or that she had started a relationship with Prince Harry... I was given the name, and told to find out where she lived and prepare a background report.”
Harry’s latest grievance with The Sun has been added to the pile. He has also accused the newspaper of paying the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s press secretary’s boyfriend of selling stories about him, claims that are denied, along with a joint action over historic phone hacking.
ON THE LOOKOUT
For Harry, who grew up in the limelight and moved to the US in part to give Archie a chance at a “normal” life, the thought that one of his former nearest and dearest may have also tried to dig dirt on Meghan is driving him crazy.
“It’s no secret that he and Meghan have fallen out with quite a few of their old friends and even family over the last year or so,” another Sussex source tells. “Harry’s become increasingly wary of who he shares his secrets with, and you can bet he won’t hesitate a second to confront anyone who he thinks is trying to dig dirt on them.”