Piers Morgan has called for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to be stripped of their royal titles. The broadcaster made the argument during a debate on his Piers Morgan Uncensored YouTube channel on 20 April.
His guest was the British historian Tessa Dunlop. The two clashed sharply over the couple’s recent four-day visit to Australia.
During the trip, Harry and Meghan visited a war memorial and a children’s hospital. They have also appeared on MasterChef Australia and attended various public events.
Dunlop defended the visit, saying Meghan Markle came across as approachable and down-to-earth. She noted that Meghan even asked people to call her “Meg” rather than Duchess.
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Morgan was not impressed. He said the couple acted like working royalty despite stepping back from senior roles. He took particular offense when Meghan was referred to as the Duchess of Sussex.
Morgan, who is from Sussex himself, was straightforward about his feelings. “P*** off!” he said on air, channeling his frustration at the couple’s continued use of royal titles.
Morgan argued that there was now a clear mechanism to remove royal titles. He pointed out that Prince Andrew’s case was being handled as a precedent. He was careful to say that Andrew’s transgressions were far more serious than anything Harry and Meghan had done.
However, according to him, the common point is disrespect for the monarchy. Anyone who brings the institution into disrepute, he argued, should lose their degrees.
Dunlop pushed back hard against this comparison. She said putting Harry in the same console as Andrew was deeply uncomfortable.
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“That was really Neanderthal style,” she said, visibly frustrated. You simply cannot compare the two situations, she argued.
Andrew’s scandals involved his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Morgan agreed that Andrew’s behavior was on a completely different and far more serious level.
Morgan acknowledged that Andrew lied about his relationship with Epstein. He also criticized Andrew’s refusal to testify under oath.
However, he insisted on his main argument. Disrespecting the royal institution at any level should have consequences.
Dunlop then shifted the debate to Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie. She pointed out that both had lunch with a convicted pedophile as adults.
She questioned why she still held her princess titles. Morgan called it a low blow. He said sisters should not be blamed for their parents’ decisions.
Dunlop disagreed. According to her, both princesses benefit from their royal titles and grace and favor arrangements. She asked on what basis they continued to hold these privileges.
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The debate ended as it began, with Morgan refusing to recognize Meghan Markle’s title. He reiterated his earlier sentiment even more strongly. “Let’s call her Meg. Let’s leave the duchess thing,” he said. “I’m from Sussex. Get the hell away!”
Did Beatrice, Eugenie have lunch with Epstein?
Yes, they did. Newly released documents from the US Department of Justice have revealed a disturbing detail. Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie had lunch with Jeffrey Epstein in July 2009.
It was just five days after his release from prison. Epstein was jailed for luring a minor into prostitution.
The princesses were then 20 and 19 years old. Their mother, Sarah Ferguson, took them out for lunch. The meal was held at Epstein’s Palm Beach mansion.
A Parisian chef served vegetable lasagna. Epstein, already a registered sex offender at the time, was under house arrest at lunchtime.
The princesses are said to be “mortified” by the revelations. Royal experts say their parents are to blame.
