Meghan Markle ‘had to learn how to be black on the job’ after marrying Prince Harry but ‘made a bit of a mess of it’, it has been claimed.
Sir Trevor Phillips said the Duchess of Sussex, 41, ‘never regarded herself particularly as black’ before joining the Royal Family, which he said was ‘understandable’ due to her privileged upbringing.
But the former politician claimed Meghan then failed to ‘take advice’ after becoming a princess and ‘squandered the opportunity’ to demonstrate the diversity of Britain.
The broadcaster and former chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission made the series of claims during a debate on TalkTV’s Piers Morgan: Uncensored.
He said: ‘I think people mistake who Meghan Markle is, she herself said that until she became this princess she never regarded herself particularly as black and that’s understandable.
Sir Trevor Phillips said the Duchess of Sussex, 41, ‘never regarded herself particularly as black’ before joining the Royal Family, which he said was ‘understandable’ due to her privileged upbringing
‘She grew up in Los Angeles in the most wealthy black enclave anywhere in the United States – Park View, Windsor Hills… she went to a private Roman Catholic school and in a sense race was never really a part of her background.’
It comes after the Duchess last year discussed her mixed race identity on her Spotify podcast, Archetypes, telling guest Mariah Carey: ‘I mean, if there’s any time in my life that it’s been more focused on my race, it’s only once I started dating my husband.
‘Then I started to understand what it was like to be treated like a black woman. Because up until then, I had been treated like a mixed woman. And things really shifted.’
During his appearance on Piers Morgan, Sir Trevor claimed that ‘anyone who came from a black background’ knew that the issue of race ‘was not her territory.’
He added: ‘When she made this supposedly incendiary claim about somebody asking what colour Archie’s skin would be, well actually every black family… the minute you know somebody is coming, that’s what you’re speculating about.
‘For white people it’s hair and eye colour.’
He continued: ‘The point I really want to make about Meghan Markle is that she had to learn how to be black on the job, as it were, and I think she made a bit of a mess of it, she didn’t take advice, and that in some sense is why I think they squandered the opportunity to demonstrate something important about this country…
‘We have the largest, uniquely mixed race population anywhere in the developed world that has come about through romance rather than coercion and they could have been standard bearers for that.’
Sir Trevor then clashed with TalkTV contributor Paula Rhone-Adrien over whether or not the Duchess was forced to personally confront racism in the UK.
‘We know that she was having to confront racists,’ Ms Rhone-Adrien said.
‘There are people in prison now because of the threats they made to her life.’
Sir Trevor then hit back: ‘Who did she confront? Tell me the name of one person that she confronted.’
MailOnline has contacted representatives for the Sussexes for comment.
It follows an uncertain past few weeks for the Sussexes, with Netflix rumoured to be considering parting ways with the couple after Spotify axed their deal.
Sir Trevor (pictured) clashed with TalkTV contributor Paula Rhone-Adrien over whether or not the Duchess was forced to personally confront racism in the UK
Spotify executive and popular podcaster Bill Simmons called them ‘f***ing grifters’ and this week the Duchess was dismissed as a talentless broadcaster by one of Hollywood’s most powerful figures.
It was revealed yesterday how a former model and reality star turned TV producer and ‘InstaMom’ is the latest executive through the ‘revolving door’ at Meghan and Harry’s broadcasting business.
Tracy Ryerson, 43, is the new Head of Scripted Content at Archewell Productions amid rumours the Sussexes are pitching to Netflix to make a feminist-focused prequel to Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations, which focuses on the world’s most famous jilted bride Miss Havisham.
The Sussexes’ Netflix deal ends in 2025 and Tracy may be tasked with keeping it on track.
Harry and Meghan’s offices and businesses have been described as a ‘revolving door’. The Sussexes have reportedly lost 16 staff since 2018. However, they did not officially launch the Archewell organisation and its related businesses until late 2020.
The most recent two key staffers to leave Harry and Meghan were reportedly Fara Taylor, who leads the Archewell Productions marketing team, and internal content head Ben Browning. This appears to have been their 16th staff departure since they were married five years ago.
Actress and turned TV producer Tracy Ryerson is now working for Meghan and Harry as the new Head of Scripted Content at Archewell Productions
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle speak during the 2021 Global Citizen Live festival in New York
On Monday Jeremy Zimmer, who has guided the film careers of stars such as Benedict Cumberbatch and Damian Lewis, gave his withering verdict on the abilities of Meghan after streaming giant Spotify axed its £18million deal with her and Prince Harry after just one podcast series.
Mr Zimmer, the chief executive of United Talent Agency, said he was not surprised that Spotify had ditched the couple.
‘Turns out Meghan Markle was not a great audio talent, or necessarily any kind of talent,’ he said.
Speaking to the news website Semafor at the Cannes Lions advertising festival in France, Mr Zimmer added: ‘And, you know, just because you’re famous, doesn’t make you great at something.’
Spotify is said to have pulled the plug on its deal because it ‘expected more content’ from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and their Archewell Audio team, according to Variety magazine.
