Prince Edward's royal warning inspired Prince Harry's furious Meghan Markle statement
PRINCE EDWARD's attempt to keep the press away from his then-girlfriend Sophie inspired Prince Harry's furious statement against media's attention for Meghan Markle.
Prince Edward: Expert discusses statement on Sophie Wessex
The youngest of Queen Elizabeth II's children was the first royal to issue a formal statement to the press in order to keep them away from his then-girlfriend and later wife Sophie, Countess of Wessex. According to royal experts, Prince Edward's decision had been forged by his older brothers' experiences, Prince Charles and Prince Andrew, and has later inspired Prince Harry to do the same to protect Meghan Markle.
Speaking on the Channel 5 documentary 'Edward&Sophie: The Reluctant Royals?', Viscountess Hinchinbrooke Julie Montagu said: "We see Edward as the first royal putting out a statement telling the press to back off of Sophie's.
"Stay away, this is the one thing that I get to be private.
"Please, please stop."
Echoing her comments, Richard Kay, Daily Mail's Editor at Large added: "Possibly, Edward's action had been forged by the experience of seeing how miserable his two brothers had been.
READ MORE: Sophie Wessex heartbreak: Countess dealt 'devastating' blow
"They conducted their romantic lives in the full Blair of publicity and their marriages had not worked out."
Sophie, Countess of Wessex had private photos of herself with Christ Tarrant published in a British tabloid after announcing her engagement to Prince Edward.
Sophie was left devastated when the pictures were published and said it ruined her engagement.
Channel 5 narrator Glynis Barber said: "Just weeks before the wedding, they learnt how difficult it would be to escape the glare of the press.
"Sophie and Edward were given the taste of the unwanted intrusion of the tabloids."
Sophie Wessex: Royal expert discusses 'devastating' photo leak
Royal expert Ingrid Seward added: "The Sun newspaper got hold of a photograph that was 11 years old and it was Sophie when she worked for Capital radio.
"She was larking about with Chris Tarrant who was also a big part of Capital radio."
Ms Barber continued: "The photograph showed Sophie with her chest partially exposed.
"It was taken during a 1988 business trip which saw Sophie, Chris Tarrant and his co-presenter Kara Noble travel to Spain."
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Viscountess Montagu added: "There was no point of that photo coming out.
"This was before she had even met and before she was even dating Prince Edward."
Ms Barber said Ms Noble had taken the photo and sold it for £40,000 to the press along with other photos.
Royal historian Dr Anna Whitelock said: "This was seen as an absolutely vile and malicious intrusion of privacy."