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Last week, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry announced their decision to “step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family”.

In a move that shocked the media and the public alike, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex shared their plans to become financially independent and split their time between the UK and North America.

Within hours of sharing their news on Instagram, a searing column from British journalist Piers Morgan landed on the front page of Mail Online, calling for the Queen to strip “deluded Meghan and Harry” of their royal titles.

"Who the f*** do they they think they are?"

"Seriously?"

"I've seen some disgraceful royal antics in my time, but for pure arrogance, entitlement, greed and wilful disrespect, nothing has ever quite matched the behaviour of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex."

In the days that followed, the broadcaster and host of Good Morning Britain continued his tirade, accusing the Duchess of Sussex of being a "ruthless social climber" and referring to Meghan and Harry as "scheming Kardashian-wannabes".

On Tuesday, however, the 54-year-old was put in his place.

On Good Morning Britain, women's rights activist Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu accused Morgan of holding a "personal vendetta" against the Duchess of Sussex.

"What is this racism that you keep talking about," Morgan demanded after Shogbamimu suggested the media's treatment of Meghan was racist.

"Where are the ghastly tabloids which you say have been driving this racist agenda against a woman who was lauded and welcomed?"

Mamamia's daily news podcast, The Spill, discuss the treatment of Meghan Markle by the media. Post continues below.

"Let me tell you what's so offensive about this Piers, especially with you," Shogbamimu responded.

"You are a man, privileged to have power and influence and you are using your platform so irresponsibly to spout out this personal vendetta with nasty and vile comments knowing fully well that your words are containing bigotry, misogyny, sexism and racism," she said.

"You don't take responsibility for how you have contributed to the so-called royal crisis. So when you ask me where is racism, it is not my job to teach you about racism."

Of course, Piers Morgan's 'vendetta' against Meghan Markle is no secret.

Interestingly, amid Meghan and Harry's early relationship and engagement, Morgan was quick to sing the praises of Meghan.

In fact, he even opened up about his friendship with the Duchess in an article for the Daily Mail.

"She's very intelligent, very smart, very charming, very warm, very direct with eye contact," he said in one interview.

"She seemed to me to have a sense about her of being concerned about issues, concerned about the planet and the environment."

*NEW:
Our friendship started with this DM, and ended in a ruthless double ghosting.
Why I'm not surprised the Palace is already getting annoyed with Meghan Markle.
My column: https://t.co/Xt7qvP6DX7 pic.twitter.com/q64efU7g6V

— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) December 4, 2018

In 2018, however, the tide famously turned when the British journalist wasn't invited to the couple's wedding.

In December that year, Morgan spoke on Good Morning Britain, sharing that his friendship with Meghan "wasn't great" as he was "ghosted" by the former Suits actress.

"I’ve had my own experience with her, which was not great, to be honest," he said at the time.

"I knew her for about a year and a half. I got on really well with her and then bang, she met someone more important and immediately ghosted."

And from there, Morgan's vendetta against Meghan Markle began.

In the years since, Morgan has publicly shamed Meghan for just about anything, writing dozens of vitriolic columns for Mail Online.

In an interview in October 2019, Meghan Markle admitted that she was struggling behind the scenes. Post continues below.

In one instance, Morgan described the Duchess as a "ruthless social climbing actress who has landed the role of her life and is determined to milk it for all she can."

In another column, he wrote an enraged piece about Meghan wasting away taxpayer dollars, writing: "Since marrying into the British Royal Family, she's already shown a gleeful propensity for spending money in a manner so extravagant she's been dubbed 'Meghan Antoinette' in honour of the infamously over-the-top 18th Century French Queen."

In another instance, he even attacked Prince Harry's statement against reporting of his wife in the tabloid media, writing: "Stop playing the victim Harry – you and Meghan brought the negative press on yourselves, and just when you turn things around you ruin it all."

And now, after months of sneering at Meghan for every move she makes, Morgan has attacked the Duchess for wishing to escape the constant vitriol and abuse she's faced at the hands of the British tabloids.

People say I'm too critical of Meghan Markle - but she ditched her family, ditched her Dad, ditched most of her old friends, split Harry from William & has now split him from the Royal Family.
I rest my case. pic.twitter.com/xgKLTt2Y0Z

— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) January 8, 2020

Of course, people in the public eye – including the royal family – are always subject to media criticism. As it's often touted: "It's the price you pay."

But in the case of Meghan Markle, it's certainly been different.

As we reported yesterday, the contrast between the reporting on Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton has been incredibly stark.

In some cases, Meghan and Kate were treated entirely different for doing the same thing. While Meghan was shamed, Kate was celebrated.

In Piers Morgan's case, there's yet another bleak contrast.

While Morgan has evidently written dozens of columns on Meghan Markle, the British journalist has written just two columns on Prince Andrew's connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

When Prince Andrew sat down for a November interview with BBC Newsnight to address and dispute the claims made by his accuser, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, the mess of an interview that followed deservedly got widespread media attention.

Prince Andrew's accuser, Guiffre, said Prince Andrew slept with her three times when she was 17. Allegedly, she was trafficked directly to Prince Andrew by Epstein.

But although Morgan justifiably called Prince Andrew "dim" and "entitled" in the interview and described the situation as "very serious", it begs the question: Why did Meghan receive 10 times more criticism from Morgan than Prince Andrew did?

After all, in what world does an absent royal wedding invitation trump sexual abuse allegations?

Feature Image: Getty.

What do you think about the reporting on Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton? Let us know in the comments.

For more on this topic:

• There have always been signs that Prince Harry would exit the royal family.
• Prince William 'can't put his arm around Harry': The latest from the Royal Family drama.
• When Prince Harry chose to leave the Royal Family, he broke a generational curse.
• Every single question we have after Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's announcement, answered.
• Inside the theory the Royal Family didn't know about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's decision to step down.
  

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