Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex and busy mum with her hands full, is letting her friends do the talking when it comes to the brutal British press.
In an interview published today with The Sunday Times, friend and also recent newlywed Priyanka Chopra weighed in on the treatment Markle has received in the press, saying she feels much of it stems from racism towards the biracial duchess.
“Of course it has to do with racism, it’s an obvious reason. But the beauty of Meg is that she’s been herself through all of this,” she said. “A lot of people got to know her after everything [after she started dating Harry, Duke of Sussex], but I knew her before and she’s the same chick. Now that she’s got a real platform, she talks about the same things she always did. We spent hours speaking about the difference that influence and dialogue can make to the world before this whole thing happened, so what you see now is authentically her. She’s always been the girl wanting to move the needle.”
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
Chopra also shot down rumours that she visited the duchess with extravagant gifts for baby Archie on Twitter on Friday. The Sun reported she visited the baby with Tiffany jewellery in tow.
“While these are great gift ideas… this story is untrue, and I was actually in town for work,” Chopra wrote.
While these are great gift ideas... this story is untrue, and I was actually in town for work. I hope whoever this "source" is starts checking their facts more often. https://t.co/S2sDlEiLaZ
— PRIYANKA (@priyankachopra) May 31, 2019
Markle probably feels happy her friends are sticking up for her. Between her public falling out with her father and half-sister (which was entirely public on their side, not hers), and President Donald Trump calling her “nasty” when he was told about comments she made during the 2016 election season in an interview with The Sun. He made the remark ahead of his trip to the U.K. for an official state visit next week and meeting with the royal family.
When the paper asked Trump for his reaction to Markle’s public statements prior to the election — which he appeared to be hearing for the first time, he said, “I didn’t know that. What can I say? I didn’t know that she was nasty.”
Chopra had some words of warning to anyone trying to attack her friend, telling The Sunday Times, “If there’s anyone who can handle it, it’s her.”