Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are taking steps to ensure their privacy, warning friends “if you talk to the press, you’re out”.

According to Vanity Fair, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are being hyper-vigilant when it comes to their personal lives after Thomas Markle broke the couple’s trust.

“They both expect a code of silence,” a source told the publication’s royal correspondent.

“If you talk to the press you’re out. Harry didn’t used to care that much about what was written [in the press] … but he’s very protective of Meghan and defensive these days.”

Meghan’s estranged father has shared countless pieces of private information in his many interviews, including what his daughter said during phone calls when she told him she was first dating Harry. He also said Harry had spoken to him about Donald Trump and Brexit – something that could create diplomatic headaches if Harry’s feelings were made public.

Harry is said to be worried there’s “too much hysteria” surrounding Meghan, and has organised for the couple to spend as much time as possible in rural England for now.