Hollywood’s Duchess Meghan had complained to broadcaster ITV over Piers Morgan’s criticisms of the woke royals’ tell-all interview, before the firebrand journalist quit breakfast show Good Morning Britain.
ITV’s royal correspondent Chris Ship claimed on Wednesday that the Duchess of Sussex had “formally filed a complaint to ITV on Monday. It’s thought to have been sent to the broadcaster’s CEO.”
Adding: “Meghan raised concerns about how Piers Morgan’s words affect the issue of mental health and what it might do to others contemplating suicide.”
ITV later corroborated the report that the Duchess of Sussex had contacted the broadcaster, saying Morgan had “quit” after the complaint.
Mr Morgan had stormed off of the set of the morning chat show on Tuesday after co-host Alex Beresford criticised Morgan for “trashing” the woke royals.
Morgan had maintained since Monday that he did not believe any of Meghan’s accusations against the Royal Family. The complaints from the Duchess were directed specifically at Morgan’s rejections of Meghan’s claims that her mental health suffered after joining the British Monarchy and that she was refused help when asked.
Addressing the allegations on air, Morgan had said on the ITV show: “Who did you go to? What did they say to you? I’m sorry, I don’t believe a word she said, Meghan Markle. I wouldn’t believe it if she read me a weather report.”
Ofcom, Britain’s broadcasting watchdog, said it was launching an investigation into the remarks after receiving 41,000 complaints.
The Sun reported that channel bosses ordered Morgan to apologise, but he refused before he resigned from hosting Good Morning Britain.
The broadcaster’s leadership openly backed Meghan’s claims, with ITV CEO Carolyn McCall saying, according to the Metro: “I completely believe what she said, that the most important thing with mental health that ITV does and is totally committed to, is that we support, we get people to speak up, we listen, we say everyone has to listen and everyone has to believe because that’s how you get people to speak up. So we are very committed to that.”
On Wednesday, Morgan doubled down on his position, tweeting: “On Monday, I said I didn’t believe Meghan Markle in her Oprah interview. I’ve had time to reflect on this opinion, and I still don’t. If you did, OK. Freedom of speech is a hill I’m happy to die on. Thanks for all the love, and hate. I’m off to spend more time with my opinions.”
He told media later that morning: “I believe in freedom of speech. I believe in the right to be allowed to have an opinion. If people want to believe Meghan Markle, that’s entirely their right. I don’t believe almost anything that comes out of her mouth.
“I think the damage she’s done to the British monarchy and to the Queen at a time when Prince Philip is lying in hospital is enormous and, frankly, contemptible.
“So if I have to fall on my sword for expressing an honestly held opinion about Meghan Markle and that diatribe of bilge that she came out with in that interview, so be it.”
Brexit leader Nigel Farage defended Mr Morgan, saying: “On this occasion, I completely agree with Piers Morgan. Cancel culture and the woke mob are killing free speech.”
While the Free Speech Union said: “Love Piers Morgan or hate him, no one should lose their job at the behest of a Twitter mob. Reports that ITV News were insisting he apologise for his remarks about Meghan are deeply concerning.
“Piers has always defended others’ right to free speech. We should stick up for his.”
A poll released on Friday revealed that the majority of Britons thought the interview was the wrong thing to do, Meghan and Harry had let down the Queen, and that they should have their royal titles removed.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.