LONDON
The crash from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s interview with Oprah abruptly followed on Wednesday, with journalist Piers Morgan retiring heavily as one of the UK’s leading morning TV shows defending his freedom of speech.
Morgan, 55, had been co-host of ITV’s Good Morning Britain for five years before retiring on Tuesday night. Rates rose sharply during Brexit and the pandemic as he kept the government’s feet on fire through his harsh interviews. In recent shows, he has been particularly against Meghan Markle and defending the Royal Family. He was the editor of one of the most widely circulated tabloids, the Daily Mirror from 1995 to 2004.
Speaking to local media outside his home this morning, he said: “I can’t believe anything that comes out of it [Meghan Markle’s] mouth and I think the damage she has done to the British monarchy and the queen at a time when Prince Philip is in hospital is very, very disgraceful.
“If I have to fall for my sword for expressing an honest opinion about Meghan Markle and that bilge diatribe she came up with within that interview, so be it.”
“I think it’s fair to say that even though the awakened people think they’ve put me off, I think they’ll be a bit embarrassed when I come back,” he said.
When asked by Oprah why the couple did not want Archie, the son, prince, to make Meghan in the months before he was born, conversations were held in the Palace about how dark his skin would be, what that would mean the Palace and not a royal title.
“There were concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he is born,” Meghan, who herself is in a mixed race, told Oprah’s shock.
She said she did not “want to live anymore” living inside the Palace. When asked if Oprah was thinking about suicide, she said: “Yes, this was very, very clear, and horrible.” Meghan said she asked for help from the “institute” but was refused.
Buckingham Palace issued a brief statement in response: “The whole family is saddened to learn the level of challenge over the past few years for Harry and Meghan.
“The issues raised, especially racial issues, are worrying. While some memories may be different, they are taken seriously and the family treats them privately. Harry, Meghan and Archie will be members of the family. “
On his presentation, after the interview was overheard, Morgan said he did not “believe a word” of it, resulting in 41,000 complaints being lodged against him by the national media regulator.
On Wednesday morning, Morgan tweeted: “On Monday, I said I didn’t believe Meghan Markle in her interview with Oprah. I had time to reflect on this idea, and I still haven’t. If you did, all right. Speech is a hill I’m happy to die on. Thank you for all the love and hate. I’m off to spend more time with my thoughts. “
The tweet was accompanied by a quote from Winston Churchill which said: “Some people think of free speech that they are free to say what they like, but if someone says nothing in return, that is annoying.”
The Media Association said Meghan had formally complained to ITV about Morgan’s views, but about their impact on mental health in general rather than his views on her allegations of racism and lack of support from the Palace.
Earlier Tuesday, Morgan had walked off his show set at a warm-up discussion with a colleague who accused him of “following Meghan’s trash.”
Later on Tuesday, ITV issued a statement saying: “Following talks with ITV, Piers Morgan has now decided that this is Good Morning Britain.
“ITV has accepted this decision and there is nothing further to add.”
Association of Editors
The issue of freedom of speech also drew controversy from the Association of Editors. The group has nearly 400 members, including editors, and is said to be fighting for media freedom.
Following the interview, the Association issued an introductory statement stating: “The UK media are not heavily named and will not be removed from their critical role in holding the rich and powerful to account after the attack. on the media by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. “
John Murray, executive director of the Association of Editors at the time, said: “The Duke and Duchess will not accept such claims without supporting evidence.”
The statement caused controversy both within the media industry and among journalists from all white and minority ethnic backgrounds.
An open letter originally signed by 167 color journalists said: “The blanket’s refusal to accept that any upheaval in the British media is to be commended, discredits color journalists and its showing an institution and industry going into denial. “
On Wednesday, the fur forced them to reverse their stance, and in a new statement, they said that their first statement “did not reflect what we all know: that there is a lot of work to be done in the media to improve diversity and inclusion. We will reflect on the response to our statement and work towards being part of the solution. “
The damage was done, however. ITV news anchor Charlene White, who is Black, has withdrawn from hosting the National Press Awards, organized by the Association of Editors.
In a statement, White said to Murray: “You may be better off looking elsewhere for hospitality for your awards this year. Maybe someone with ideas aligns with you : that the UK newspapers are the only institution in the whole country that has a perfect record on a race. “
In another act, Murray said he would retire from the club so that he could “rebuild his reputation”.
Prince Harry had complained that some British tabloids were “racist” and “bigoted”.
Stepping back
In January 2020, the royal couple officially withdrew from their key roles in the royal family and no longer use their official titles, His Royal Highness (HRH), which is often given to senior members of Windsor House.
The decision came as a result of intense media scrutiny of the couple with British tabloids who were accused of bullying and disrupting their personal lives. Buckingham Palace is understood to have been disappointed with the decision and no prior consultation had taken place.
In September 2019, Meghan sued the Linked Newspapers after their affiliates, the Mail on Sunday and Mail Online, published a private letter that Meghan wrote to her estranged father and seek compensation for misuse of private information, copyright and infringement in addition to the violation of the Data Protection Act.
Last month, the Duchess of Sussex won a high-court privacy case against the Post on Sunday after a two-year legal battle.
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