Meghan Markle’s estranged father Thomas today hit back at her claims he had ‘betrayed’

‘I never played naked pool or dressed up like Hitler’: Meghan’s father Thomas Markle takes swipe at ‘snotty’ Harry, says his daughter ‘let him down but he still loves’ her – and insists the British public are NOT racist

  • Thomas Markle has given world exclusive interview to Good Morning Britain after daughter’s Oprah interview
  • Mr Markle says he wants to reconcile with his daughter and ‘still loves her’ and ‘will always be there for her’
  • Meghan said she’s ‘found it hard to reconcile’ with father and accused him of ‘betraying’ her before wedding 
  • Mr Markle said: ‘We all make mistakes. I’ve never played naked pool or dressed like Hitler like Harry did’
  • Minutes earlier Piers Morgan stormed off the set live on air today after row with the show’s weatherman 
  • The Queen has spent the day in emergency discussions with son Prince Charles and grandson Prince William   
  • The entire Palace said to be ‘shocked and dismayed’ by claims made in the interview, which aired on Sunday 

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Meghan Markle’s estranged father Thomas today denied his daughter’s claims he had ‘betrayed’ her before branding his son-in-law ‘snotty’ and declaring: ‘We all make mistakes – but I’ve never played naked pool or dressed like Hitler like Harry did’.

Mr Markle says that he’s apologised ‘100 times’ for doing a deal with a paparazzi photographer before the Royal Wedding in 2018 and urged the couple to see him now they only live ’70 miles away’ from his Mexico home in Los Angeles.

He also denied the Royal Family – or Britain – is racist, calling Meghan and Harry’s claims ‘bulls**t’ and saying if it is true a royal asked about how ‘dark’ Archie’s skin would be, it was probably just a ‘dumb question’.

Mr Markle spoke to Good Morning Britain in the UK after watching the Oprah interview with his daughter and her husband, which was watched by 11.4million in Britain last night and tens of millions more when it was shown by CBS in the US on Sunday.

In it Meghan said she cannot fathom hurting her son Archie in the way her own father ‘betrayed’ her, admitting she ‘found it hard to reconcile’ with Thomas after he insisted that he had not been speaking to the media. She said: ‘I look at Archie, I think about this child, and I genuinely can’t imagine doing anything to intentionally cause pain to my child’. 

Mr Markle said that while he did let her down, she had ‘let me down too’ by cutting him off after heart surgery almost three years ago. He said: ‘The bottom line is she didn’t lose me, she made a statement saying she lost me, she didn’t lose me, I would’ve always been there for her, I’m there for her now if she wants me’.  He added: ‘We all make mistakes – but I’ve never played naked pool or dressed like Hitler like Harry did’.

Mr Markle was referencing Harry’s trip to Las Vegas where he stripped off in a hotel to play pool and once wearing a Nazi uniform to a party when he was 20. 

Describing his last phone call with Harry he said: ‘Harry had said to me if you had listened to me, this wouldn’t have happened to you. Me, laying in a hospital bed after a having procedure, I had a stent put here and put here [points at his heart] and that was kind of snotty so I hung up on him.’

But Mr Markle also used the rare interview to urge his daughter to reach out to him. He said: ‘I’d like to say again. I’m sorry for what I’ve done. This was two years ago. But I’ve tried to make it up to her. I’m now only 70 miles away. I’ve never stopped loving her. I don’t agree with all the things that my children they do. But I  will always love them. And I certainly love Meghan’.

The GMB show had already made headlines before Mr Markle spoke when like host Piers Morgan walked off set after being criticised by weatherman Alex Beresford who accused Mr Morgan of unfairly ‘trashing’ Meghan Markle.

Thomas Markle has had his say on Meghan and Harry's Oprah interview to defend himself and the Royal Family, who he says aren't racist

Thomas Markle has had his say on Meghan and Harry's Oprah interview to defend himself and the Royal Family, who he says aren't racist

Thomas Markle has had his say on Meghan and Harry’s Oprah interview to defend himself and the Royal Family, who he says aren’t racist

Mr Markle watched the Oprah interview and denied that he had 'betrayed' his daughter, but said he had 'apologised 100 times' when the Sussexes had cut him off completely

Mr Markle watched the Oprah interview and denied that he had 'betrayed' his daughter, but said he had 'apologised 100 times' when the Sussexes had cut him off completely

Mr Markle watched the Oprah interview and denied that he had ‘betrayed’ his daughter, but said he had ‘apologised 100 times’ when the Sussexes had cut him off completely

It comes after claims were made about Thomas by the Duchess of Sussex in unaired footage from the incendiary CBS interview (pictured), released earlier today

It comes after claims were made about Thomas by the Duchess of Sussex in unaired footage from the incendiary CBS interview (pictured), released earlier today

It comes after claims were made about Thomas by the Duchess of Sussex in unaired footage from the incendiary CBS interview (pictured), released earlier today

Meghan Markle's father appeared on Good Morning Britain after his daughter accused him of 'betraying' her in her bombshell Oprah interview

Meghan Markle's father appeared on Good Morning Britain after his daughter accused him of 'betraying' her in her bombshell Oprah interview

Meghan Markle’s father appeared on Good Morning Britain after his daughter accused him of ‘betraying’ her in her bombshell Oprah interview

Thomas Markle has his say on Meghan, Harry, alleged racism in the Royal Family and the couple’s Oprah interview 

In a world exclusive interview Thomas Markle spoke to today’s Good Morning Britain of his reaction following Meghan and Harry’s Oprah interview. This is what he said.

On Meghan: 

‘This is actually the first time I’ve heard her speak in four years, about four years. The last time we spoke, we didn’t speak we actually texted each other, I was laying in a hospital bed after having a heart attack. I had to tell them that I couldn’t come to the wedding.

‘It wasn’t quite saying goodbye. Harry had said to me at that point, ‘If you had listened to me, this wouldn’t have happened to you.’ Me laying in a hospital bed after I’d had a procedure and getting a stent put here and a stent put here, felt that that was kind of snotty, so I hung up on him. And that’s the last conversation we ever had.’

On not meeting Harry or Archie 

On having not met Harry or his grandson he said: ‘I’m very disappointed about it. I’ve apologised about this thing, what happened at least 100 times or so. Bottom line is I’ve never heard back from Meghan or Harry in any way shape or form. When they say that I’m taking advantage of the press, basically what I do, because I haven’t heard from them, is I’ll do a story for the press. If I don’t hear from them in 30 days, then I’ll do another story for the press. I’ve yet to hear from them. I would love to hear from them. They’re not talking to me. When they decide to talk to me, I’ll stop talking to the press.’ 

On doing a deal with a paparazzi photographer   

‘OK, well my daughter, my oldest daughter, was contacted by a man […] who was a photographer, who said, ‘If you can convince your dad, we can make him look good.’ For an entire year, outside my house somebody was taking photographs of me. I couldn’t go anywhere or do anything without being photographed buying something, coming out of a store. And god forbid I’m buying beer for the guys at the guard gate… and everybody knows I don’t drink. But I bought beers for the guys at my guard gate. They [the press] were making me an alcoholic, calling me names, talking about the way I dressed. So I yes, I went for this deal with this man who was going to make me look better. Maybe I got sucked into it, but I believed him and I thought it was going to work. It didn’t work. When it was exposed, I said, ‘What’s happening?’ Bottom line is he was supposed to be a great distance from me shooting on a long lens. He actually walked into most of the scenes. I said, ‘What’s going on?’ he said, ‘Don’t worry I’ve taken care of this many times, I’ll make you look great.’ Well, they waited until three days before the marriage and released the photos. I called him and said, ‘What’s going on, how did this happen, what do I do?’ He said, ‘Just deny it.’ It didn’t go away, hasn’t gone away yet. I denied it [to Meghan] yes.

‘I wish I hadn’t done the whole thing. But here’s the other side of this coin. It’s like, no one took any time to protect any member of our family. We were attacked by the press every day. My oldest daughter, my son, myself, my grandchildren, all of us were attacked by the press. No one looked after us.’

He added: ‘Then I saw a headline that said they recommended, Harry and Meghan, that someone come and help me, someone come and take care of me. Meghan and Harry denied that and said don’t do it. So I was left out to dry. And in spite of all of that I apologised, I apologise today again, but here again, I also said we all make mistakes.’

On the publication of a letter she sent to him  

‘I’m the one who released a part of the letter. That was because a magazine was doing a story about me, Meghan’s friends were telling a story about me that was mostly lies. After reading these things, these lies, I said I have to retaliate. By retaliating, I released part of the letter. I didn’t release the whole letter. Had I done that you would have seen something that was horrible. I had held that letter for six months and I was going to destroy it, it was so bad. A lot of things that were said to me […] The people in the magazine said she reached out to me with love and wanted to get back together, that wasn’t the letter at all, that wasn’t what it was intended to do.’

On Meghan cutting him off   

‘I’ve been pushed around and knocked down for one thing I did, for one big mistake I made. I’ve apologised for it as many times as I possibly can. However, I love my daughter very much and if I’d known she was having psychological problems, I would have been there for her. Biggest problem here is she’s pretty much ghosted all of her family. On her mother’s side and my side. So, she really had no one to reach out to. She would have had us if she’d kept us.

‘The bottom line is, she didn’t lose me. She made a statement saying she lost me. She didn’t lose me. I would have always been there for her. I’m there for her now if she wants me. But it’s been a long time. This thing about the press and so forth, I’ve done maybe six articles for the press. As everyone knows, every other newspaper takes those articles and suddenly it’s 100 articles. But I’ve never done that many. I do it only every 30 days’.

On Meghan telling Oprah she was suicidal 

Speaking of Meghan’s admission she contemplated suicide, he said: ‘It really did upset me, like I said, it would have been easy for her to reach out to me, any of the rest of her family, who she claims she doesn’t know. But the other thing is that I would think that she could turn to her husband.’

When noted she did, he said: ‘Obviously not supported her that well.’

On racism claims about the Royal Family 

‘I have great respect for the Royals. I don’t think the British Royal family are racist at all. I don’t think the British are racist. I think Los Angeles is racist, California is racist, but I don’t think the Brits are. The thing about what colour will the baby be, or how dark will the baby be, I’m guessing and hoping it was just a dumb question from somebody. It could just be that simple. It could be somebody asked a stupid question, rather than being a total racist.’ 

‘I also feel that she let me down as well. I was in a hospital bed the last time we talked and I never heard from them again. They didn’t care if I died. I never heard from them again. I had a procedure where they put a stent in here and a stent in here, and that’s when we talked. And they have not talked to me since. When my father was in hospital me and my three brothers showed up the very next day. That’s what families do. This whole thing about colour and how dark the baby is is bull****. I married a very beautiful black woman and had a beautiful child. And if she had turned out dark it wouldn’t have been a problem. If she’d turned out anything in between it wouldn’t have been a problem, a beautiful baby.’

He added: ‘A racist comment should be investigated. But all I’m saying is it could have been just a stupid question from someone. You know, someone who doesn’t understand a black person marries a white person, what do you get, you know? You never know but you get a baby. That’s what you get, you get a baby. Maybe we’re getting a little too political.’

On timing of the interview  

‘I totally agree they went way over the top with these stories with Oprah and should have waited considering the Queen’s age and Philip’s age, they certainly should have waited or tried to wait.’

On what he’d say to the couple

‘I’d like to say again, I’m sorry for what I’ve done. This was two years ago. This was a long time ago and I’ve certainly tried to make up for it. The stories in the paper, each time are because I haven’t heard from you. They know where I live, now we’re closer together, they’re probably 70 miles from me now. So, I’m available any time that we can get together. I’d love to get together. I’d certainly like to see my grandson. I’ve never stopped loving my daughter. I don’t always agree with the things my children do, but I never stop loving my children. I certainly love Meghan. She can be angry with me and tell Oprah how angry she is, but I’m still her dad. If you ever look at Tig [website], there was a thing where she spoke about me, she made a statement saying there should be more guys like my dad. So there must be something good left here somewhere’.

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Buckingham Palace was paralysed with ‘horror and dismay’ last night as Prince Harry stood accused of ‘blowing up his family’ after his bombshell interview with Meghan.

The Mail can reveal that the Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William were all locked in crisis talks over how to react to a string of incendiary accusations unleashed by the couple during their two-hour special with Oprah Winfrey.

The most damaging appears to be the claim that an unnamed royal asked about how ‘dark’ Archie’s skin would be when he was born. Meghan and Harry have refused to say who it was, but Oprah later said it wasn’t the Queen or Prince Philip. 

Thomas Markle has sided with the royals today. 

He said: ‘I don’t think the British Royal Family are racist at all. I don’t think the British are racist – I think Los Angeles is racist, California is racist but i don’t think the Brits are’.

He went on: ‘The thing about what colour will the baby be or how dark will the baby be, I’m guessing and hoping it’s just a dumb question from somebody, it could just be that simple – rather than being a total racist.’   

He added: ‘This whole thing about colour and how dark the baby is was bulls***.’ 

He was asked about Meghan’s depiction of him betraying him – and said that on her blog before they fell out Meghan had urged other fathers to be more like him.

He said: ‘I’m very disappointed about it. I’ve apologised about this thing [the paparazzi deal] at least 100 times or so, bottom line I’ve never heard back from Meghan and Harry’.

Describing their lost conversation, when he was in hospital before the couple married, he said: ‘I also feel she let me down as well because I was in a hospital bed the last time we talked and I never heard from them again. They didn’t care if i died’.

But urging her to reach out to him, he said: ‘I’d like to say again. I’m sorry for what I’ve done. This was two years ago. But I’ve tried to make it up to her.

‘I’m now only 70 miles away. I’ve never stopped loving her. I don’t agree with all the things that my children they do. But I  will always love them. And I certainly love Meghan’.

Mr Markle was asked about the letter sent to him by his daughter after the royal wedding, which is at the centre of the Duchess’ legal battle with Associated Newspapers, the publisher of the Mail on Sunday and MailOnline.

He said: ‘I’m the one who released a part of the letter. That was because a magazine was doing a story about me, Meghan’s friends were telling a story about me that was mostly lies. 

After reading these things, these lies, I said I have to retaliate. By retaliating, I released part of the letter. I didn’t release the whole letter. Had I done that you would have seen something that was horrible’. 

He went on: ‘I had held that letter for six months and I was going to destroy it, it was so bad. A lot of things that were said to me […] The people in the magazine said she reached out to me with love and wanted to get back together, that wasn’t the letter at all, that wasn’t what it was intended to do.’ 

Thomas and the Royal Family are reeling after the Sussexes ‘went nuclear’ on Sunday night. 

Meghan’s critics unaired footage from the Oprah interview, which will not feature when it is shown on ITV at 9pm tonight, was released earlier today following the original CBS broadcast on Sunday. 

Meghan drew a contrast with her mother Doria Ragland, who she praised for remaining ‘in silent dignity for four years’.

The clip also saw Meghan distance herself from her half-sister Samantha, who has released a ‘tell-all’ book about their relationship. 

The Duchess retorted: ‘I think it would be very hard to tell all when you don’t know me.’

She said she grew up ‘an only child’ and even claimed Samantha only changed her surname back to Markle after Meghan struck up a romance with Harry. 

The tension between the Markles was addressed in unaired sections of the Sussexes CBS sit-down with Oprah, who probed about her relationship with Thomas. 

Thomas was supposed to walk Meghan down the aisle in May 2018 but pulled out of the ceremony following health problems.

The two were also engaged in a row about him speaking to the press. 

Oprah asked: ‘Did it feel like betrayal when you found that your father was working with the tabloids?’ 

After weighing up if she was ‘comfortable’ delving into the issue, Meghan said her father had assured he had ‘absolutely not’ spoken to the press. 

She said: ‘If we’re going to use the word betrayal it’s because when I asked him, when we were told by the comms team this was a story that was going to be coming out which, by the way, the tabloids had apparently known for a month or so and decided to hold until the Sunday before our wedding because they wanted to create drama, which is also a key point in all this, they don’t report the news, they create the news. 

‘We called my dad, and I asked him, and he said no, absolutely not. I said, you know, the institution has never intervened for anything for us, but they can try to go in and kill this story. But if they do this once, we’re not going to be able to use that same leverage to protect our kids one day. 

She added: ‘I said we won’t be able to protect our own kids one day, and I said, I just need you to tell me. If you tell me the truth, we can

‘And he wasn’t able to do that. And that for me has really resonated, especially now as a mother.’ 

Meghan went on: ‘And also me saying just full stop, if we use this to protect you, we won’t be able to protect our own children one day, I’m talking about your grandchildren. 

‘I look at Archie, I think about this child, and I go I genuinely can’t imagine doing anything to intentionally cause pain to my child. I can’t imagine it. So it’s hard for me to reconcile that.’ 

Buckingham Palace has been paralysed with ‘horror and dismay’ as Prince Harry stands accused of ‘blowing up his family’ with his bombshell interview – with the Queen said to have refused to sign off on a statement.

The Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William were all locked in crisis talks over how to react to a string of incendiary accusations unleashed by Harry and wife Meghan during a two-hour special with Oprah Winfrey on American TV.

With pressure growing for a statement today, Palace insiders described a mood of ‘intense personal shock and sadness’ that the prince had pressed the ‘nuclear button on his own family’. ‘People are just reeling,’ a source said.

The couple’s interview on CBS late on Sunday night sent shock waves around the world yesterday as the couple laid bare the extent of their rift with the Queen and other senior royals.

They accused an unnamed Royal Family member of racism, suggesting the relative had asked ‘how dark’ their baby would be; said they had been driven out of Britain, in part, by racism; and accused the Palace machinery of failing to support a ‘suicidal’ Meghan.

Harry revealed an astonishing rift with his father, saying his family had cut him off financially while suggesting the Queen had been badly advised and had cancelled a meeting scheduled at Sandringham.

Meghan also accused her sister-in-law Kate of making her cry; suggested senior royals plotted to ensure Archie would never have a title or adequate security; and said officials had failed to stand up for the couple against ‘racist’ commentary, while lying to protect other royals.

A senior Government minister and Boris Johnson ally, Lord [Zac] Goldsmith, echoed the mood of many in royal circles yesterday. Responding to the suggestion that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had ‘loaded up a plane and dropped bomb after heavy bomb on Buckingham Palace’, he tweeted: ‘Not ‘Buckingham Palace’ – Harry’s family. Harry is blowing up his family.’

A statement is understood to have been prepared by Buckingham Palace highlighting the Royal Family’s love for the couple, in attempt to avoid tensions mounting even further. However the Queen was keen not to rush it out without careful consideration overnight, according to The Times.

How Harry, aged 20, caused a global scandal by dressing as a Nazi before playing ‘strip billiards’ in Vegas in 2012

Prince Harry was forced to issue a grovelling apology in 2005 after wearing a Nazi uniform to a party.

His choice of outfit was condemned as insensitive and tasteless by shocked Holocaust survivors.

And the Queen’s grandson wearing an Afrika Korps uniform caused a crisis for the Royal Family.

Former royal press officer Dickie Arbiter urged him to say sorry publicly on radio or television. He told the BBC: “It is just not good enough to behave like that. We all know history, and at 20 there is no excuse.”

Harry was attending a fancy dress party thrown by Olympic show jumper Richard Meade.

In 2012 the prince faced fresh accusations of bringing the royal household into global disrepute.

Harry was photographed on a mobile phone in just a necklace with a naked female playmate hiding behind him having played a game of strip pool in his VIP Las Vegas suite. Another showed him giving the same topless woman a naked bear hug, which have since been seen by tens of millions across the world.

As well as the embarrassment, it did raise security fears about how well the prince was protected on his Vegas trip.

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Buckingham Palace, which was not informed about the couple’s decision to do the interview before it was first announced last month, had been bracing itself for the worst. 

But aides could not have predicted how devastatingly brutal the couple’s interview – watched by 17million in the US alone but set to air last night to a global audience of many times more, including on ITV in the UK – would be.

The Mail has been told that royal staff stayed up until 3am to watch the interview via video link live from the US with a mounting sense of horror – and sadness.

The Queen’s private secretary Sir Edward Young and Charles’s private secretary Clive Alderton are both said to have watched the interview from Buckingham Palace. 

Palace IT staff had set up a computer link so they could see it, while other members of staff watched it on their laptops while working from home, reported the Daily Telegraph.

Aides then had to prepare briefings from members of the Royal Family and agreed that any response would have to be co-ordinated between the Queen, Charles and William. 

As morning broke, crisis meetings were called involving senior officials as well as senior royals, in person and on the phone, as well via video call.

The Queen, at Windsor, spoke with her son Charles, who was at Clarence House, his London home, and grandson William, who has also moved back to the capital from Norfolk in preparation for his children to return to school.

Sources told the Mail that household staff, many of whom had supported the couple as best they could during an ‘extremely difficult and trying three years’, felt ‘angry and let down’ but were determined to put a brave face on the situation for the sake of the elderly monarch.

‘Staff are reeling. But there is [also] a strong sense of needing to retain a dignified silence and show kindness and compassion. There’s a lot people want to say but no one wins with a tit-for-tat battle,’ said one. ‘Bridges need to be built after all this is over, after all.’

Most damaging are the couple’s claims that not only were they unsupported by both family members and staff, but they also suffered as a result of an apparent racist agenda against them.

Meghan suggested that race was the heart of every decision made against them. But there was bemusement among royal insiders at her claims that senior royals had tried to prevent their son, Archie, from having a title – or security – because of blatant prejudice.

‘They didn’t want him to be a prince,’ she told Miss Winfrey.

Long-standing rules, laid down by George V, mean that the title of HRH passes only to the children of a sovereign and their grandchildren through the male line, meaning Archie will only be given a title when his grandfather, Prince Charles, accedes to the throne.

The Queen can issue letters patent to change that on an individual basis but aides for Harry and Meghan briefed journalists at the time of his birth that they were very happy for him to be styled ‘Master Archie’ because they wanted him to have the same kind of freedoms as the prince’s cousins, Zara and Peter Phillips. 

Thomas Markle will speak out on the ITV breakfast show in an interview with host Piers Morgan after claims were made about him by the Duchess of Sussex in unaired footage from the explosive CBS interview

Thomas Markle will speak out on the ITV breakfast show in an interview with host Piers Morgan after claims were made about him by the Duchess of Sussex in unaired footage from the explosive CBS interview

Thomas Markle will speak out on the ITV breakfast show in an interview with host Piers Morgan after claims were made about him by the Duchess of Sussex in unaired footage from the explosive CBS interview

The Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William were all locked in crisis talks over how to react to a string of incendiary accusations unleashed by Harry and wife Meghan during a two-hour special with Oprah Winfrey on American TV (pictured)

The Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William were all locked in crisis talks over how to react to a string of incendiary accusations unleashed by Harry and wife Meghan during a two-hour special with Oprah Winfrey on American TV (pictured)

The Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William were all locked in crisis talks over how to react to a string of incendiary accusations unleashed by Harry and wife Meghan during a two-hour special with Oprah Winfrey on American TV (pictured)

Misan Harriman - who took the photograph released to announce Meghan's second pregnancy - shared a previously unreleased image of the couple last night

Misan Harriman - who took the photograph released to announce Meghan's second pregnancy - shared a previously unreleased image of the couple last night

Misan Harriman – who took the photograph released to announce Meghan’s second pregnancy – shared a previously unreleased image of the couple last night

With pressure growing for a statement today, Palace insiders described a mood of 'intense personal shock and sadness' that the prince had pressed the 'nuclear button on his own family'. 'People are just reeling,' a source said

With pressure growing for a statement today, Palace insiders described a mood of 'intense personal shock and sadness' that the prince had pressed the 'nuclear button on his own family'. 'People are just reeling,' a source said

With pressure growing for a statement today, Palace insiders described a mood of ‘intense personal shock and sadness’ that the prince had pressed the ‘nuclear button on his own family’. ‘People are just reeling,’ a source said

Long-standing rules, laid down by George V, mean that the title of HRH passes only to the children of a sovereign and their grandchildren through the male line, meaning Archie will only be given a title when his grandfather, Prince Charles (pictured with the Queen), accedes to the throne

Long-standing rules, laid down by George V, mean that the title of HRH passes only to the children of a sovereign and their grandchildren through the male line, meaning Archie will only be given a title when his grandfather, Prince Charles (pictured with the Queen), accedes to the throne

Long-standing rules, laid down by George V, mean that the title of HRH passes only to the children of a sovereign and their grandchildren through the male line, meaning Archie will only be given a title when his grandfather, Prince Charles (pictured with the Queen), accedes to the throne

Insiders say there was never any doubt that the Queen’s (pictured) great-grandson would be protected and although the Prince of Wales has made no secret of his desire to have a slimmed-down monarch, Harry and his family were always part of his plan

Insiders say there was never any doubt that the Queen’s (pictured) great-grandson would be protected and although the Prince of Wales has made no secret of his desire to have a slimmed-down monarch, Harry and his family were always part of his plan

Insiders say there was never any doubt that the Queen’s (pictured) great-grandson would be protected and although the Prince of Wales has made no secret of his desire to have a slimmed-down monarch, Harry and his family were always part of his plan

Stony-faced Kate and Camilla break cover day after devastating allegations from Sussexes 

Stony-faced royals yesterday broke cover amid the continuing fallout from an onslaught of damaging allegations from Harry and Meghan’s Oprah interview.

Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, bore grim expressions as they were seen driving through London yesterday afternoon.

The pair have been caught up in the wave of claims aired by the Sussexes, with Meghan earlier this month blaming them for leaking stories about her to the press while she was a senior royal. Meghan has also accused Kate of making her ‘cry’ during a row over bridesmaids dresses.

Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton bore a grim expression as she was seen driving herself through London yesterday

Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton bore a grim expression as she was seen driving herself through London yesterday

Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton bore a grim expression as she was seen driving herself through London yesterday

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have made no formal response to the interview, instead the only two posts on their official Instagram page today have recognised International Women’s Day, and Commonwealth Day.

Prince Harry yesterday claimed racism drove him and Meghan out of Britain and the Queen was too busy to meet him as he piled on new insults to his family in a series of unseen clips from his bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview.

The Duke of Sussex accused the Queen of snubbing him after she was allegedly overruled by royal aides when she tried to invite him and Meghan on a trip to Sandringham after the couple announced they were stepping down.

Meanwhile, Prince Philip was cleared of making a racist remark about how ‘dark’ Archie’s skin would be, with Oprah saying Harry had confirmed the comment was not made by the Duke of Edinburgh or the Queen.

Asked about the alleged comment at his Covid press conference today, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: ‘The best thing I can say is that I’ve always had the highest admiration for the Queen and the unifying role she plays.

‘And as for all other matters to do with the royal family I’ve spent a long time now not commenting on royal family matters and I don’t intend to today.’

Harry refused to reveal the person’s identity on Sunday night as did Meghan and claimed they wanted to protect whoever it was – leaving the rest of the family open to suspicion.

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A source close to the Sussexes suggested yesterday the couple were so concerned about Archie’s security because of his mixed race heritage that they wanted him to become a prince so he would be afforded suitable security.

But insiders say there was never any doubt that the Queen’s great-grandson would be protected and although the Prince of Wales has made no secret of his desire to have a slimmed-down monarch, Harry and his family were always part of his plan.

There was no comment, however, on Meghan’s astonishing accusation that Kate had reduced her to tears ahead of the 2018 Royal Wedding over a bridesmaid dress fitting with her daughter, Princess Charlotte.

She even claimed her future sister-in-law ‘owned’ her mistake, apologised and bought her flowers, contrary to claims that it was she who had made Kate cry with her unrealistic demands.

‘She did what I would do if I hurt someone. Just take accountability for it,’ Meghan said.

The Duchess of Cambridge was yesterday seen driving, stony faced, near Kensington Palace as her office released a video of conducting a call to mark International Women’s Day by speaking to the youngest woman to row solo across an ocean.

The picture of strain was a stark contrast to a new image of Harry and Meghan, pregnant and cuddling Archie, in the garden of their home in California released by her friend, Misan Hariman, to also mark IWD.

The black and white portrait emerged on social media just hours after their interview – in which the couple revealed the second baby they were expecting was a girl – had aired.

A message read: ‘Welcome to the girldad club H!’

The Prime Minister refused yesterday to comment on the details of the Sussexes’ allegations – even when asked whether he believed members of the Royal Family might be racist.

But the White House backed the couple’s decision to speak out, a spokesman saying it took ‘courage’ for Meghan to open up about struggles with mental health problems.

And Labour called on the Palace to launch an investigation into the couple’s claims of racism.

Party leader Sir Keir Starmer said it was ‘really sad to see the family in turmoil like this’ and that the allegations made by the duchess must be taken seriously.

He added: ‘The issues that Meghan has raised of racism and mental health are really serious issues.

‘It is a reminder that too many people experience racism in 21st century Britain.

‘We have to take that very, very seriously.

‘Nobody, but nobody, should be prejudiced (against) because of the colour of their skin or because of their mental health issues.’

Labour education spokesman Kate Green went further, saying the duchess’s claims should be ‘fully investigated’ by the Palace.

But Tory MP Michael Fabricant accused Labour of trying to ‘politicise’ the row.

He told the Mail: ‘Labour are wrong to politicise this. They know full well that there will be inquiries going on.

‘They really do trying to be desperately insert themselves into the story to get attention.’

Mr Fabricant said: ‘Every family is dysfunctional one way or another. 

‘The holder of every high position will have personal little secrets they want hidden. We are all human.

Piers Morgan storms off GMB during furious row with weatherman Alex Beresford over Meghan Markle

Piers Morgan stormed off the Good Morning Britain set live on air today after the show’s weatherman accused him of unfairly ‘trashing’ Meghan Markle. 

Susanna Reid was forced to send the ITV show to an early advertisement break after the row between her co-host and Alex Beresford boiled over this morning. 

Piers and Alex were discussing the Sussexes’ bombshell interview with Oprah, where the couple accused the Royal Family of racism. 

Alex had suggested Meghan had ‘cut off’ Piers after striking up a romance with Prince Harry.

The GMB host returned to the set after the ad break and the pair continued the debate.

Piers later tweeted: ‘I was annoyed, went for a little cool-down, and came back to finish the discussion.’

He added that it was a ‘strong debate’ and so ‘worth a bit of GMB family tension’, but justifying his exit, said: ‘I just prefer not to sit there listening to colleagues call me diabolical.’

GMB host Alex Beresford had told Piers: ' I understand that you don't like Meghan Markle, you've made it so clear a number of times on this programme, and I understand you've got a personal relationship with Meghan Markle and she cut you off.' Shortly after, Piers then storms out of the studio

GMB host Alex Beresford had told Piers: ' I understand that you don't like Meghan Markle, you've made it so clear a number of times on this programme, and I understand you've got a personal relationship with Meghan Markle and she cut you off.' Shortly after, Piers then storms out of the studio

GMB host Alex Beresford had told Piers: ‘ I understand that you don’t like Meghan Markle, you’ve made it so clear a number of times on this programme, and I understand you’ve got a personal relationship with Meghan Markle and she cut you off.’ Shortly after, Piers then storms out of the studio

GMB weatherman Alex Beresford had told Piers: ' I understand that you don't like Meghan Markle, you've made it so clear a number of times on this programme, and I understand you've got a personal relationship with Meghan Markle and she cut you off'

GMB weatherman Alex Beresford had told Piers: ' I understand that you don't like Meghan Markle, you've made it so clear a number of times on this programme, and I understand you've got a personal relationship with Meghan Markle and she cut you off'

GMB weatherman Alex Beresford had told Piers: ‘ I understand that you don’t like Meghan Markle, you’ve made it so clear a number of times on this programme, and I understand you’ve got a personal relationship with Meghan Markle and she cut you off’

Susanna Reid said it would be best for the breakfast programme to go to a break amid stony silence from others in the studio

Susanna Reid said it would be best for the breakfast programme to go to a break amid stony silence from others in the studio

Susanna Reid said it would be best for the breakfast programme to go to a break amid stony silence from others in the studio

Alex Beresford said Meghan was 'entitled' to cut him off, and Piers then storms out of the studio. Alex says it was 'pathetic', and 'diabolical behaviour'

Alex Beresford said Meghan was 'entitled' to cut him off, and Piers then storms out of the studio. Alex says it was 'pathetic', and 'diabolical behaviour'

Alex Beresford said Meghan was ‘entitled’ to cut him off, and Piers then storms out of the studio. Alex says it was ‘pathetic’, and ‘diabolical behaviour’

Heated debate between Piers Morgan and Alex Beresford before GMB host walked off set 

Piers: William went through exactly the same thing. And he’s managed to come to terms with the media, and he works with the media and he recognises the media is there actually to perform two roles. One to hold them to account because they’re publicly funded. But secondly he also wants to promote the monarchy, because if the media doesn’t promote the monarchy, the monarchy slowly dies out. 

Alex (interjecting): Piers, Piers

Susanna: Alex yes (gesturing for him to speak)

Piers: Well hang on, we’ll come to Alex in a sec

Alex: Oh ok, all right I’ll wait 

Piers: Well do you mind waiting? 

Alex: Actually I don’t, carry on 

Piers: Up to you mate, I was just going to… fine

Susanna: I was going to make the point Alex that something very different happened with Prince Harry was that he was in a relationship with a woman who was very different and they felt the press then turned on them and was racist.

Alex: They have had an overwhelming amount of negative press. I watched the programme yesterday and yes they had some great press around the wedding. But what press is going to trash someone’s special day. 

There was bad press around the engagement before the engagement and everything that has followed since has been incredibly damaging, quit clearly to Meghan’s mental health and also to Harry. 

And I hear Piers say that William has gone through the same thing but siblings experience through tragedy in their life and one will be absolutely fine and be able to to brush it off  but the other won’t be able to deal with it so strongly. And that is clearly what has happened to Harry. 

He walked behind his mother’s coffin at a tender age in front of the globe. That is going to shape a young boy for the rest of his life. So I think we all need to take a step back. 

I understand that you don’t like Meghan Markle, you’ve made it so clear a number of times on this programme, a number of times. I understand you have a personal relationship with Meghan Markle, or had one, and she cut you off. She’s entitled to cut you off. Has she said anything about you since she cut you off? I don’t think she has. But yet you continue to trash her’. 

Piers (getting up from his seat): Ok, I’m done with this.  

Alex: No, no, no, oh that’s pathetic. 

Piers: Sorry. You can trash me mate but not on my own show. See you later (walking off set)

Alex: This is absolutely diabolical behaviour. I’m sorry but Piers just spouts off on a regular basis and we have to sit there and listen. 6.30 to 7am yesterday was incredibly hard to watch. He has the ability to come in here and talk from a position where he doesn’t fully understand’

Susanna: OK…

Alex: And I’m absolutely…

Susanna: OK, I think we all need to take a break

Show cuts to ads

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During a debate section of the show at around 6.30am, Alex decided to accuse Piers Morgan of ‘diabolical behaviour’. He then moved on to Piers’ claims that Meghan ‘dropped him’ as a friend, when Mr Beresford said: ‘She’s entitled to cut you off if she wants to’.

He said: ‘I understand that you don’t like Meghan Markle, you’ve made it so clear a number of times on this programme. She’s entitled to cut you off. Has she said anything about you since she cut you off? I don’t think she has. But you continue to trash her’.

Piers then stands up and says: ‘Ok, I’m done with this.  Sorry. You can trash me mate but not on my own show. See you later’.  

But Mr Beresford wasn’t finished, he said to Piers: ‘You know what that’s diabolical behaviour. That’s pathetic’ as the camera watched Mr Morgan walk off set.

‘I’m sorry but Piers just spouts off on a regular basis and we have to sit there and listen. 6.30 to 7am yesterday was incredibly hard to watch. He has the ability to come in here and talk from a position where he doesn’t fully understand’, Mr Beresford said as his colleagues watched in horrified silence.

Susanna Reid said it would be best for the breakfast programme to go to a break amid stony silence from others in the studio. 

After the break a visibly upset Piers Morgan said: ‘What it’s done is raise a lot of emotions.’ 

Turning to his colleague: ‘What we need to do Alex is talk to each other in a civilised manner given we work on the same show on the same team. You launching into a pretty personally derogatory monologue on one of your colleagues probably isn’t one of the best ways to go about it. 

‘As much as I’d like to sit here taking abuse from you, that’s not going to happen.’ 

Alex then hit back, saying to Piers: ‘I’m not trying to come on this show and take you down. Just because we’re on the same side we have to have the same view. 

‘This whole situation is very personal for me and I’m by no way, shape or form accusing you of being racist. I have the luxury of knowing you on and off screen and we’ve had conversations, I know where you stand on this and I have a great amount of respect for you, Piers.’ 

Piers replied: ‘I wanted you on the show today because you sent me a really thoughtful and nuanced message about all this and I thought we could have a thoughtful nuanced conversation’.

Alex then admitted: ‘I’m tired of finding a different way to explain not to you, but to so many people on why what has been said is so wrong. 

He went on: ‘I’ve walked into institutions as the only person of colour and experienced covert and overt racism on so many occasions and why the Meghan interview really resonates with me is because an ex-work colleague – not on this show – asked me if I was worried about the shade of cocoa that my son was going to come out. 

‘So I fully understand the hurt that is behind all of that.’ 

Piers insisted he has not got a ‘racist bone’ in his body, saying he would ‘love’ if one of his children brought home someone from a different race. 

Alex Beresford told Piers: ‘I don’t feel that you are a racist… but that’s why I just feel the stance you were taking on it yesterday was so strong I just felt it was slightly clouded because you’ve had an experience with her.’ 

The pair rowed earlier in the week about the Oprah interview.

Alex tweeted: ‘You ever stop and think maybe you should give this woman carrying a baby a break?’

Piers Morgan then replied: ‘You mean like she’s giving a 94yr-old woman a break as her husband lies in hospital?’ – a reference to the Queen and her husband Prince Philip.    

Several social media users voiced their views of the morning's drama

Several social media users voiced their views of the morning's drama

Several social media users voiced their views of the morning’s drama

Several social media users voiced their views of the morning drama. 

One said: ‘I feel there as always been conflict with Alex and Piers, especially when comes to racism topics, and Alex had opportunity to tell it as it is. 

‘But Piers wasn’t expecting that. He doesn’t like hearing the truth about himself.’

A third said: ‘Well that was the most dramatic opening 15 mins of any GMB show I’ve seen… 

 

‘To be fair, I think Alex was overly critical of [Piers Morgan], who for me has only ever offered a balanced argument of the Sussexes’ ”faults”. ‘  

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