Meghan Markle: Duchess of Sussex complains to Ofcom about Piers Morgan's comments on her Oprah interview
The former actor's complaint centres around how the presenter spoke of mental health generally - not about her specifically.
Friday 12 March 2021 20:05, UK
The Duchess of Sussex has made a formal complaint to Ofcom over Piers Morgan's comments about her interview with Oprah Winfrey, the regulator has said.
An Ofcom spokesperson said on Friday: "We can confirm receipt of a standards complaint made on behalf of the Duchess of Sussex."
It comes after she made a similar complaint to ITV following Morgan's claim on Good Morning Britain that he "didn't believe" her when she said she had suicidal thoughts and failed to get mental health support from within the royal household.
Meghan's concerns are thought to centre around the effect the comments may have on mental health generally and those attempting to deal with their own problems - rather than the TV presenter's attack on her.
Morgan quit the ITV breakfast show earlier this week after an on-screen clash with weather presenter Alex Beresford.
Beresford criticised him for "continuing to trash" Meghan, before Morgan stormed off set and said he was leaving.
Ofcom is already investigating his comments after receiving more than 41,000 complaints.
Charity Mind also issued a statement to say it was "disappointed and concerned" about the way the host had spoken of the duchess's mental health.
Morgan is thought to have quit GMB after ITV asked him to apologise and he refused to do so.
Speaking to a Sky News reporter outside his London home the day after the incident, he stood by what he said.
"I don't believe almost anything that comes out of her mouth and I think the damage she's done to the British monarchy and to the Queen at a time when Prince Philip is lying in hospital is enormous and frankly contemptible," he said.
"If I have to fall on my sword for expressing an honestly-held opinion about Meghan Markle and that diatribe of bilge that she came out with in that interview, so be it."
A poll today suggested UK public opinion of Meghan and Prince Harry was at an all-time low following the interview.
Forty-eight per cent of people said they had a negative view of Harry, compared with 45% who had a positive view - giving him a -3 net score.
It is the first time attitudes have been more negative than positive towards him, YouGov said, and is a 15-point drop from 2 March.
Only 31% had a positive opinion of the Duchess of Sussex, while 58% of the survey's 1,664 British respondents viewed her negatively. This net rating of -27 is down from -14 just over a week ago.