Harry and Meghan

The Scotsman would like to congratulate Prince Harry and his fiancee Meghan Markle on their engagement.

Harry has been through a lot in life. His parents’ divorce and mother’s untimely death would have been hard enough for anyone to deal with, but these were events that took place very much in the public eye. But, like his mother, he has found a way to turn that interest in his life into a force for good. He has spoken publicly about mental health problems, describing how he was “very close to a complete breakdown” as he failed to come to terms with Princess Diana’s death. Revealing he had sought counselling – and that it had worked – will have reduced any stigma attached to taking such a step. And in creating the Invictus Games for wounded ex-service personnel, he has helped “demonstrate the power of sport to inspire recovery ... and life beyond disability”, as he himself said at the launch of the event.

As he knows all too well, tabloid reporting of the Royal Family can become intrusive in the extreme. One can only hope Meghan and Harry are allowed some degree of a private life.