What is The Princes and The Press about and why has it upset the Royal family?

The show airs its second episode on Monday (Picture: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

New BBC documentary series The Princes and The Press has attracted criticism from the Royal Family since the first episode arrived last week. 

So much so, in fact, that the three main royal households hit out at the programme for airing ‘overblown and unfounded claims’.

The documentary explores the relationship of the Duke of Cambridge and the Duke of Sussex with the media.  

Monday night’s episode has been titled ‘Sussexit’ and is expected to focus on Harry and Meghan’s departure from working royal life.

Neither Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace nor Clarence House have ruled out launching formal proceedings against the BBC, according to the Mail on Sunday.

The show, hosted by Amol Rajan, is set to air its second and final instalment tonight on BBC Two at 9pm – here’s everything you need to know. 

Why has The Princes and the Press upset the Royal family?

The controversial documentary included suggestions that royal sources had been briefing journalists behind the scenes in its first episode, including potentially leaking negative stories about other households.

But it stopped short of repeating allegations that William’s aides briefed against his brother Harry in the aftermath of the younger prince’s decision to quit the royal family.

The three main royal households issued a rare joint statement blasting the broadcaster for ‘overblown and unfounded claims’ in the first episode of The Princes and the Press shown last Monday. The statement was shown at the end of last week’s programme.

The documentary is presented by Amol Rajan (Picture: BBC/Patrick Smith)

The joint statement from the three palaces, which oversee the affairs of the Queen, William and Kate, and Charles and Camilla, said: ‘A free, responsible and open press is of vital importance to a healthy democracy.

‘However, too often it is overblown and unfounded claims from unnamed sources that are presented as facts and it is disappointing when anyone, including the BBC, gives them credibility.’

The title of the second episode of the documentary, ‘Sussexit’ is also thought to be the cause of some frustration. 

More: BBC

The BBC was said to have bent to demands from Harry’s team not to use the term ‘Megxit’, with the prince recently writing online: ‘The term Megxit was or is a misogynistic term, and it was created by a troll, amplified by royal correspondents, and it grew and grew into mainstream media.’

The first episode featured an interview with a private investigator, Gavin Burrows, who claimed he was employed to carry out surveillance on Harry’s girlfriend Chelsy Davy in the early 2000s.

It proved controversial with the Royal family before it was even aired, too, after they were not given a chance to see it before the rest of the country.

The Princes and The Press airs tonight at 9pm on BBC Two.

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