Piers Morgan identified two royals linked to Meghan Markle’s accusation that a royal was “concerned” about how dark her child’s skin would be in a clip viewed more than 5 million times on social media alone.
The outspoken host said the names of two senior royals live on TV after they had been included in a Dutch translation of bombshell royal book Endgame in error.
The move risks sparking a privacy lawsuit from either Buckingham Palace or Meghan’s legal team, as she also has a right to privacy attached to a letter she sent King Charles III that may have contained one or both names.
Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images
Mark Stephens, a U.K.-based lawyer for Howard Kennedy, recently told Newsweek: “Privacy doesn’t just belong to the palace, it belongs separately and severally to Meghan and Harry.” Newsweek approached the palace and the Sussexes for comment.
Omid Scobie’s latest book describes how Meghan and King Charles III exchanged letters in the aftermath of her March 2021 Oprah Winfrey interview in which she said: “So, we have in tandem the conversation of, ‘He won’t be given security, he’s not going to be given a title,’ and also concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he’s born.”
The English language version of the book read: “In the pages of these private letters, two identities were revealed. Laws in the United Kingdom prevent me from reporting who they were.
“The King, said sources, wanted his response to make clear to Meghan that he felt there was no ill will or casual prejudice present when the two people had spoken about his future grandson.”
However, the Dutch version went on sale in Holland containing the names of one person said to have made the remark and another who was present—and the extracts were circulated on social media complete with English translations.
British newspapers—and others around the world—have not run the names owing to the high barrier that British and European privacy laws create around material in private letters.
Piers Morgan, however, decided to take what he characterized as a stand for free speech by naming the two royals, risking a lawsuit in the process.
He told viewers: “I’m going to cut through all this c***. I’m going to tell you the names of the two senior royals who are named in the Dutch version of that book because, frankly, if Dutch people wandering into a bookshop can pick it up and see these names then you, British people, here, who actually pay for the British royal family—you’re entitled to know too and then we can have a more open debate about this whole farrago.
“Because I don’t believe any racist comments were ever made by any of the royal family, and until there is actual evidence of those comments being made, I will never believe it but now we can start the process of finding out if they ever got uttered, what the context was and whether there was any racial intent at all.
“Like I say, I don’t believe there was. The royals who are named in this book are—”
He then named two royal family members who had been included in the Dutch version, which has been pulled from sale. It is not clear whether the names in that translation are accurate or not.
The clip of Morgan’s comments shared on X, formerly Twitter, was liked 5,500 times and viewed more than 5.5 million times, on top of the traffic for the live TV broadcast and posts on other platforms, as well as other versions uploaded to X.
The saga creates a headache for the palace, which must now decide whether to file litigation against Piers Morgan Uncensored on Talk TV, which is owned by Rupert Murdoch’s media empire, or run the risk that other outlets follow his lead.
Meghan’s comments to Oprah Winfrey sparked an international debate about racism in the royal family that raged for months but in January 2023 Prince Harry told ITV Meghan had never accused his family of racism.
“No I didn’t,” he told journalist and friend Tom Bradby. “The British press said that. Did Meghan ever mention that they’re racist?”
In the aftermath of the Oprah Winfrey interview, Prince William told journalists that “we are very much not a racist family,” which at the time was interpreted as a denial of Meghan’s accusation, though it turned out to be closer to Harry’s position than initially realized.
Jack Royston is chief royal correspondent for Newsweek, based in London. You can find him on X, formerly Twitter, at @jack_royston and read his stories on Newsweek‘s The Royals Facebook page.
Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Gregory Daniels is your guide to the latest trends, viral sensations, and internet phenomena. With a finger on the pulse of digital culture, he explores what’s trending across social media and pop culture. Gregory enjoys staying ahead of the curve and sharing emerging trends with his readers.
