Prince Harry has found a trustworthy neighbor he can turn to for paparazzi assistance.
The Duke of Sussex, who stepped back from his duties as a senior member of the royal family last year alongside his wife Meghan Markle, discussed the challenges he has faced since moving to Montecito, Calif. from London with Dax Shepard and Monica Padman on their podcast Armchair Expert. One issue is the stealth paparazzi, who sometimes pull out all the stops so they can get a picture of Prince Harry and his family, which also includes son Archie Harrison, 2. Meghan is currently pregnant with the pair’s next child.
“Just two days ago, Orlando Bloom sent me a message, because he’s just down the road and we sort of keep in contact because of the paparazzi,” Prince Harry explained. “He sent me a photograph which his security got of this long-haired guy with a beanie on, with his ear pods in, with his massive camera lying in the back of his 4×4 truck. A woman driving who did the peace sign sitting there as a distraction, and he is laid down in the back of this truck taking photographs of them out with their kid and whoever else is in that area.”
Orlando, who is engaged to Katy Perry, also has a family to be concerned about. Last year, he welcomed his first child with his bride to be, and is also a father to Flynn, 10, with his ex-wife Miranda Kerr.
Despite this particular situation with the paparazzi, Prince Harry insists things are better in California for the family.
“Here, I can actually lift my head and I feel different. My shoulders have dropped, so has hers,” he said. “You walk around feeling a little bit more free. I get to take Archie on the back of my bicycle. I never had the chance to do that.”
Prince Harry and Meghan have battled the paparazzi before. The couple sued Splash News and Picture Agency over pictures taken of the Duchess of Sussex with their son at a Canada park in January 2020. The lawsuit was settled in March.
A spokesperson on behalf of Schillings, the legal representation for the couple, said of the lawsuit, “This settlement is a clear signal that unlawful, invasive, and intrusive paparazzi behavior will not be tolerated, and that the couple takes these matters seriously—just as any family would.”
While Prince Harry and Meghan can certainly fight their own battles with the paparazzi, it’s nice to have a neighbor in their corner.
