Piers Morgan doubles down on Meghan Markle criticism
Piers Morgan is doubling down on his criticism about Meghan Markle amid his hasty departure from Good Morning Britain.
A day after he stormed off the set and Britain's ITV announced he would not be back as a co-host, Morgan took to Twitter to maintain his position on the duchess. He wrote on Twitter: "On Monday, I said I didn’t believe Meghan Markle in her Oprah interview," he wrote. "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."
On Monday's show, Morgan discussed Meghan's jaw-dropping interview with Oprah Winfrey, including the former Suits actress who married Prince Harry in 2018 revealing that she had suicidal thoughts amid what she felt was racist treatment from the British media and a lack of support from the royal family. Morgan reacted to that by saying, "Who did you go to [for help]? What did they say to you? I don’t believe a word she says, Meghan Markle. I wouldn't believe her if she read me a weather report," while his co-host Susanna Reid immediately disagreed, saying "That’s a pathetic reaction to someone who has expressed those thoughts."
Several U.K. outlets including The Guardian and The Telegraph have reported that Meghan made a formal complaint to ITV following Morgan's comments on Monday's show. ITV and Prince Harry and Markle's Archewell foundation told the outlets they wouldn't comment on the complaint, but neither denied that it was made.
The complaint was one of many. The U.K. media regulator Ofcom launched an investigation into Morgan's comments after receiving more than 41,000 complaints. Mental health organizations have also publicly criticized his comments.
Morgan has previously spoken about how he was friendly with Meghan, but when she began dating Harry, she "ghosted" him. He's since publicly bashed her, including when she and Prince Harry decided to step down as senior members of the royal family in early 2020.
Meghan has received a lot of support from Hollywood in the wake of the interview, including Beyoncé thanking her for her "courage and leadership." The singer added, "We are all strengthened and inspired by you."
Though not from her own family as her father, Thomas Markle, and half-sister, Samantha Markle, have ripped her. Queen Elizabeth II released a statement Tuesday saying, in part, "The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan. The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately."
In the wake of Meghan and Harry's revelations, an old clip of John Oliver talking about Meghan joining the royal family has been resurfaced.
"I would not blame [Meghan] if she pulled out of this at the last minute," the Last Week Tonight host told Stephen Colbert before the couple's wedding in 2018. "I don't think you need to have just seen the pilot episode of The Crown to get a basic sense that she might be marrying into a family that could cause her some emotional complications."
Oliver added, "They're an emotionally stunted group of fundamentally flawed people doing a very silly pseudo-job. That's what she's marrying into. So I hope she likes it. It's going to be weird for her. I would not marry into the royal family. I'm a commoner. I would not be welcomed — especially after what I've just said."
There have also been a lot of reactions to Morgan — who was fired as Larry King's CNN replacement in 2014 — leaving Good Morning Britain after his comments about Meghan. Another resurfaced clip is Chelsea Handler going head to head with him in 2014 on his CNN show Piers Morgan Tonight in which she told him he was a terrible interviewer.
Though Morgan has gotten support, including from Sharon Osbourne. The Talk co-host, who has shared publicly that she's had suicidal thoughts, wrote to Morgan, "I am with you. I stand by you. People forget that you're paid for your opinion and that you're just speaking your truth."
Morgan's son Spencer was also among those to defend him, declaring himself "Team Piers. Always, forever." He added that "the comeback will be greater than the setback."
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