The calculated decision Harry made when he began dating Meghan

When news of Prince Harry's relationship with Meghan Markle broke in 2016, it understandably made headlines around the world.

But along with the positive coverage, there also came vicious attacks on the Suits actress, forcing Prince Harry to take the unprecedented step of asking the tabloid media to back off.

As Episode One of 9Honey's brand new royals podcast The Windsors explores, this was a calculated decision by the future Duke of Sussex to fight against the media, who he'd always had a troubled relationship with.

Royals rarely put their personal passions or desires ahead of the crown, but Harry was determined to pave his own way.

On November 8, he released a statement via Kensington Palace slamming the vitriol.

LISTEN: The Party Prince, the first episode of 9Honey's The Windsors podcast, is here. (Post continues.)

https://omny.fm/shows/the-windsors/the-party-prince/embed?style=cover

9Honey royal commentator Victoria Arbiter says the move was "unprecedented".

"Generally speaking, when the royals are feeling under pressure from the press, they just rise above it -- they ignore it," Arbiter explains on The Windsors.

"Because in their minds if you say something about it, it only further fuels the story."

But due to the nature of some of the reporting about his girlfriend, Prince Harry decided to take a stand.

"There had been undertones of racism, there had been judgement about her being American, being older, being an actress, all kinds of salacious horrible stories were written," Arbiter says.

"There were racy photographs of acting scenes published on the front pages of the newspapers.

"For Harry to come out that was a very pointed statement clearly written by Harry that had not been done by an aide."

Listen to the first episode of The Windsors to learn more about how Harry's calculated move influenced the way the media would cover this new royal love story.