Press regulator rejects Harry’s complaint about 'inaccurate' newspaper article

The Duke of Sussex’s claim that a Sunday newspaper wrote an inaccurate article about wildlife pictures posted on his Instagram account has been dismissed by a newspaper industry regulator.

Harry complained to the Independent Press Standards Organisation (Ipso) that the Mail on Sunday breached the accuracy clause of its Editors’ Code of Practice in an article published in April last year.

Headlined “Drugged and tethered … what Harry didn’t tell you about those awe-inspiring wildlife photos”, the article reported on “spectacular photographs of African wildlife” which had been posted on Harry’s Instagram account to highlight Earth Day.

Harry posted the series of photographs on the couple's instragram page for earth day. Credit: royal.uk

The article claimed that the "pictures … don’t quite tell the full story" and said the duke had "notably avoided explaining the circumstances in which the images were taken".

The animals had been tranquillised and the elephant had also been tethered as they were being relocated as part of conservation projects.

The newspaper reported that followers of Harry’s Sussexroyal Instagram account were unable to see a rope around the hind legs of the elephant because of the way the picture was edited.

A series of photographs from the trip also appeared on royal.uk, the official website for the royal family. Credit: royal.uk

Ipso said in its ruling that Harry had stated "he had not misled the public by failing to explain the circumstances in which the photograph of the elephant had been taken.

It added he had said: "The article was inaccurate in claiming that he had sought to mislead the public by deliberately publishing an edited version of the photograph".

Harry and Meghan went into the discussions with the Royal Family arguing for a role much like Prince Andrew’s daughters. Credit: PA

The ruling comes against a backdrop of a changing role for the Sussexes after they announced they would be taking a "step back" from Royal life.

Earlier this year the couple announced they would be working to become financially independent while continuing to "fully support" the Queen and their patronages.

They plan to split their time between both the UK and North America and in an agreement reached with the royal family, the Sussexes say they will stop carrying out royal duties from the spring.

It has also been agreed the couple will no longer use the title HRH and will repay the taxpayers’ millions spent on their Berkshire home.