Last week, it was reported by numerous outlets that Suits actress Meaghan Markle was dating Prince Harry. Markle, who is of black ancestry, has since been subject to cruel commentary online.

Now Prince Harry is speaking out, as Kensington Palace has released an official statement about their relationship, denouncing the “wave of abuse and harassment” Markle has seen since the rumors were first reported. The statement says while Harry has not taken formal action on stories written about him in the press before, this required attention.

It reads in part: “…the past week has seen a line crossed. His girlfriend, Meghan Markle, has been subject to a wave of abuse and harassment. Some of this has been very public – the smear on the front page of a national newspaper; the racial undertones of comment pieces; and the outright sexism and racism of social media trolls and web article comments. Some of it has been hidden from the public – the nightly legal battles to keep defamatory stories out of papers; her mother having to struggle past photographers in order to get to her front door; the attempts of reporters and photographers to gain illegal entry to her home and the calls to police that followed; the substantial bribes offered by papers to her ex-boyfriend; the bombardment of nearly every friend, co-worker, and loved one in her life.”

Harry is disappointed that he is unable to protect her lambasts commentators of their relationship. “This is not a game – it is her life and his.” He hopes this message will stop the press from publishing damaging stories about her before “any further damage is done.”

Markle is the latest black woman to receive abuse online after being in the public eye, following Leslie Jones, Normani Kordei, Gabby Douglas, and countless others.

You can view the Kensington Palace statement in full below:

Kensington Palace has issued a statement this morning about the harassment currently being experienced by Meghan Markle and her family. pic.twitter.com/EuFZ4fmUIj

— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) November 8, 2016

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Meaghan Markle

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