Prince Harry has found himself back in the headlines after a journalist addressed the private messages that surfaced during his legal battle against Associated Newspapers Limited, insisting the widely discussed exchanges have been taken out of context.
Harry denied that he was friends with any journalists (Image: Getty)
Charlotte Griffiths, now Editor-at-Large of the Mail on Sunday, has spoken publicly about text messages exchanged with the Duke of Sussex more than a decade ago. The conversations, which became public during Harry’s privacy lawsuit, sparked widespread speculation because of their playful tone and affectionate language. Griffiths, however, says they reflected nothing more than a casual friendship from years before Harry met Meghan Markle.
The messages included references to a “fun weekend of naughtiness,” “movie snuggles,” and nicknames such as “Griff” and “sugar,” leading some to suggest the pair had once shared a romantic connection. Griffiths has firmly rejected those claims, explaining that the exchanges have been misunderstood.
Prince Harry is in London this week (Image: Getty)
Writing about the incident, she said the “movie snuggles” referred simply to sharing a blanket during a film screening in a room full of other people, while the “naughtiness” was nothing more than a reference to heavy drinking over the weekend. She also dismissed speculation surrounding Harry’s mention of a “Cinderella’s shoe,” explaining it referred to a pair of borrowed shoes she wore while stepping outside for a cigarette rather than anything intimate.
Griffiths also recalled one moment when Harry moved onto the beanbag beside her, wrapped himself under the shared blanket and put an arm around her. While acknowledging it was a sweet gesture, she insisted it never felt romantic. At the time, she said she was dating someone else, and Harry had reportedly kissed another woman during the same weekend gathering, making the incident little more than a light-hearted memory among friends.
The resurfaced messages attracted additional attention because they emerged after Harry reportedly testified that he was not friends with journalists and avoided close relationships with members of the press. Although the conversations predated his relationship with Meghan by several years, their publication prompted renewed scrutiny of his personal life and past friendships.
Reflecting on the reaction, Griffiths said she had no objection to journalists themselves being scrutinised but was deeply disturbed by the abuse she received online after the messages became public. She revealed she was targeted with thousands of insulting and misogynistic comments across social media, saying the experience highlighted the darker side of internet culture.
The episode has also prompted wider discussion about online harassment. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have spent years campaigning against cyberbullying and the harmful effects of social media, and some commentators have noted the irony that Griffiths herself became the target of the kind of online abuse the Sussexes have repeatedly condemned.
As Harry continues to navigate his legal battles and ongoing public scrutiny, the resurfacing of decade-old private messages has once again demonstrated how even long-forgotten personal conversations can become global headlines years later.