Royal reporter claims journalists are being kept at a distance from Meghan

Britain's Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, right and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex. A royal correspondent has claimed that reporters are being kept at a distance from Meghan. Photo / AP

A royal correspondent has claimed that reporters are being kept at a distance from Meghan during official engagements so that they can't overhear any remarks that might breach protocol.

Royal reporter Richard Palmer made the claim on Twitter while explaining why Meghan's outfits and PDAs with Harry often becomes the focus of a story, the Daily Mail reports.

"Journalists are being kept further away from her than we were before the wedding. That means we can't hear what she is saying," he explained.

"You go up afterwards and ask what she said. Mr Bloggs said: 'The Duchess expressed the hope that women would eventually get the same opportunities as men in this profession. Boring."

In reply to a commenter, he said he believes it's part of a strategy by the palace of "settling her in", so that she doesn't have to worry about being overheard saying the wrong thing.

He added: "My hope is that when they come back from their summer break, Meghan will be given a bit of a freer rein to express herself (within earshot of the media) and get stuck into some of the serious topics she wants to tackle. She has the soft power to help many people in this world."

MailOnline has contacted Kensington Palace for comment.

As for the Duchess of Sussex, I'd like to make a couple of other observations as a reporter who's covered her engagements. Royal rota journalists are being kept further away from her than we were before the wedding. That means we can't hear what she is saying.

— Richard Palmer (@RoyalReporter) July 31, 2018

My hope is that when they come back from their summer break, Meghan will be given a bit of a freer rein to express herself (within earshot of the media) and get stuck into some of the serious topics she wants to tackle. She has the soft power to help many people in this world.

— Richard Palmer (@RoyalReporter) July 31, 2018

Taking on official royal engagements has been a steep learning curve for the Duchess, despite her experience in the limelight as an actress.

She's appeared visibly nervous during several events, including her first Trooping The Colour during which Harry was seen asking if she was alright on the balcony at Buckingham Palace and telling her to look up and watch the flypast.

During her inaugural foreign visit as a royal to Dublin, she found herself at the centre of debate over whether she expressed a political opinion.

Senator Catherine Noone, who met Meghan at a garden party, tweeted that the Duchess had apparently agreed with Ireland's recent referendum result in favour of legalising abortion.