Gayle King and her CBS This Morning co-host were left with no choice but to fact-check a British royal historian when she said race wasn’t a factor in the abominable media treatment of Meghan Markle.
Penny Junor appeared on CBS This Morning on Monday to discuss the Royal Family’s plan after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced their departure from official duties, as Blavity previously reported. The English journalist wrote an op-ed for the Daily Mail last week sharing her frustration over the news that shocked the world.
“This is so out of character, and — as his biographer who knows him better than many — I fear something is seriously amiss,” she wrote.
Her sentiments on the morning show paralleled her writing. When King asked about her strong assertion on the prince, Junor admitted she hadn’t spoken to him for three years — before he and Markle began dating. Despite not having affirmation from the 35-year-old himself, Junor stood strong in her declarations regarding his feelings.
“That cheerful, charming man seems to have disappeared and in his place, we have an angry, disgruntled, really seriously disgruntled man,” she said.
King challenged Junor, pointing out that of course he’d be upset over having to worry about the safety of his wife and 8-month-old son, Archie. The author refuted the statement, saying the treatment Markle has received from the press isn’t as heinous as she’s seen in the past with other celebrities, including Harry's own mother.
“He admits though, Penny, that he’s angry and frustrated by the treatment of his wife, who he loves and adores, and his son. He’s very concerned about her safety and her well-being. Why wouldn’t he be angry and frustrated about that?”
“Truly there is no comparison,” Junor said.
She went on to say the Duchess is loved by everyone. Junor believes race isn’t a factor in how the women’s rights activist has been treated, adding that Markle being mixed-race (her mother is Black and her father is white) was a plus for Britons.
“We took her into our hearts. The British were thrilled about her marrying into the Royal Family, and they were thrilled because she was mixed race. That was one real plus,” she said. '
"It made a whole of colored people happy because suddenly they found the monarchy was relevant for them," she added.
CBS This Morning co-host Tony Dokoupil stepped in and asked if she had asked any Black Britons if they felt that way.
"And did you check in with any Black Britons before you made that determination," Dokoupil asked.
The author danced around the question. She said that some Black people feel society is racist while others don’t, saying it depends on “personal experience.”
“I don’t think you have to have personal experience to have your baby to be portrayed as a chimp and it says ‘royal couple leaving the hospital.’ That’s very hurtful and that is in fact, very racist,” King said.
The author tried to clear up her statement, saying she’s not trying to defend racist remarks by the media.
Throughout the interview, Junor referred to Black people as “colored” which is just as offensive in the UK as it is in America. Deservingly, she faced criticism because of her word choice following the interview, reports Metro. King, as well as Dokoupil, seemed unimpressed with many of Junor’s rebuttals and contradictory statements.
After news of the Duke and Duchess’ departure from the rest of their family, Page Six reported King was granted an exclusive first interview with the couple after “Megxit.” The rumors were denied.
"Gayle says she has had absolutely no conversations with Meghan and Harry (or their representatives) about doing an interview with them,” a CBS spokesperson told The Sun.
