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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have told the UK's tabloid press they are ending all co-operation with them, BBC News reports.

In a letter to editors of all the Sun, Mirror, Mail and Express titles and websites, a representative said the pair had taken the step due to "distorted, false or invasive" stories.

Harry and Meghan said they refused to "offer themselves up as currency for an economy of click bait and distortion".

The couple have relocated to California after stepping back as senior royals.

In the letter, the couple's public relations representative wrote it was "gravely concerning that an influential slice of the media" has printed "distorted, false or invasive" articles.

"There is a real human cost to this way of doing business and it affects every corner of society," the letter said.

"The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have watched people they know - as well as complete strangers - have their lives completely pulled apart for no good reason, other than the fact that salacious gossip boosts advertising revenue."

The BBC was told that the letter had been sent to the editors of the Sun, the Daily Mail, the Daily Mirror and the Daily Express newspapers.

The new policy will apply to the four newspapers, their Sunday editions and associated websites, the Guardian's media editor Jim Waterson reported.

The Daily Star, which was not specifically mentioned, is published by the same group that publishes the Mirror and Express titles.

The ban on engagement with the papers will mean that the couple's PR team will no longer even answer calls from the papers asking them to confirm whether claims made about the couple are true or not.