Prince Harry speaks out - Says he and Megan had no other choice but to leave Britain

LONDON (AP):

Prince Harry has taken aim at the journalists who have dissected his life since the day he was born as he expressed regret for the way he has had to step down from royal duties.

In a personal speech that referenced his late mother, Princess Diana, who died in a car accident while being pursued by paparazzi, Harry said on Sunday that he had "no other option'' but to step away as he and his wife, Meghan, seek a more peaceful life.

"When I lost my mum 23 years ago, you took me under your wing,'' Harry said at a dinner in London for Sentebale, his Africa-based charity supporting youngsters with HIV. ``You looked out for me for so long, but the media is a powerful force. And my hope is one day our collective support for each other can be more powerful, because this is so much bigger than just us.''

The comments were Harry's first public remarks since Saturday night, when his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, announced the terms under which the prince and his wife will walk away from most royal duties, give up public funding and try to become financially independent. The couple are expected to spend most of their time in Canada while maintaining a home in England near Windsor Palace.

The queen's statement said the agreement, reached after crisis talks, was a "constructive and supportive way forward".

But Harry's speech made it clear that the couple had not got their wish to be able to carry on with some royal duties while becoming independent.

"Our hope was to continue serving the queen, the Commonwealth and my military associations, but without public funding. Unfortunately, that wasn't possible," he said.

"For those reasons, it brings me great sadness that it has come to this,'' he added. "The decision that I have made for my wife and I to step back is not one I made lightly. It was so many months of talks after so many years of challenges. And I know I haven't always got it right, but as far as this goes, there really was no other option.''

Harry, 35, has made no secret of his disdain for Britain's tabloid media in the past, with both he and Meghan filing lawsuits against press outlets last fall. At the time, Harry gave an interview drawing parallels between the treatment of his wife and the media frenzy that contributed to the death of his mother.