Meghan Markle and Prince Harry 'risk being accused of having ideas above their station'

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry risk being accused of "having ideas above their station" by only seeking glowing coverage from the press, it has been claimed.

Harry, 36, gave his first interview since leaving the Royal Family to late night chat show host and pal James Corden.

The duke, now living in a mansion near Los Angeles with pregnant Meghan, 39, and their one-year-old son Archie, hit out at the British press as he explained the couple's reasons for leaving the UK.

There were plenty of lighter moments, including an appearance from former Suits actress Meghan, along with Harry insisting he stepped back from senior royal duties because of "toxic" press coverage that was "destroying" his mental health.

Harry insisted "I did not walk away" and had no choice but to take his family to the US.

Camilla Tominey alleges the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are trying to "rewrite the history" of Megxit "through the medium of philanthropy and self-promotion", using American media that will be favourable to them.

Writing in the Telegraph, Tominey, the newspaper's associate editor and a royal commentator, gave a scathing assessment of the open-top bus tour interview, claiming it was "carefully choreographed" and gave Harry free reign to push the couple's agenda.

The interview is a glimpse of Harry and Meghan's future forays into the public spotlight while living in America, she added.

Tominey wrote: "By conveniently making no mention of their desire to 'work to become financially independent', as stated in their original 'Megxit' bombshell of Jan 8 last year, Harry made the blame-the-British-press strategy plain as he complained of the 'toxic' environment.

"It may well prove to be a winning formula in America, where the rich and famous can control a media that largely worships at the altar of celebrity."

She added: "By only seeking favourable coverage, while their royal relatives take the rough with the smooth, the Sussexes risk accusations of having ideas above their station, exemplified by the rather negative reaction to their recent suggestion that 'service is universal'."

The Sussexes are unlikely to lose sight of the fact "there are two sides to every story", Tominey wrote.

Last week, Buckingham Palace announced that Harry and Los Angeles-born Meghan had made a final split with the Royal Family, and would not be returning as working members and would lose their patronages.

The Sussexes sent shockwaves through the monarchy in January 2020 when they announced their intention to step back from royal duties and embark on a new life across the Atlantic.

Harry told the "Late Late Show" host Corden: "It was never walking away. It was stepping back rather than stepping down, there was a really difficult environment as I think a lot of people saw.

"We all know what the British press could be like, and it was destroying my mental health, I was like this is toxic. So I did what any husband and what any father would do is like, I need to get my family out of here."

Critics of the couple, who announced this month they were expecting their second child, have said they are keen for publicity but only on their own terms.

An in-depth interview they have given to chat show queen Oprah Winfrey, another close friend, is due to be aired on March 7.

There was also disapproval of Harry and Meghan's response to last week's split when they said they were committed to a life of service.

Some commentators contrasted their life with the duty shown by the 94-year-old queen during her 69-year reign.

Harry told Corden: "And as far as I'm concerned whatever decisions are made on that side, I will never walk away.

"But my life is public service so wherever I am in the world it's going to be the same thing."