Piers Morgan: "Ernest, thank you for joining me. I don’t know much about you, except that you wrote a piece for *Rolling Stone* last week claiming cancel culture is good for democracy. I’ll get to that in a moment. But I remember you tweeting about me when I left *Good Morning Britain*, calling me a racist and enjoying how people have called me out for my comments about Meghan Markle. Can you recall a single racist thing I've said about her?"
I was surprised to find out I’d be on your uncensored show. I think a lot of the criticism towards Meghan seemed biased. You were quite harsh on her."
"To be clear, I didn't ask about your opinion on my tone. I'm asking for specific racist remarks I supposedly made about Meghan Markle. Can you point to any?"
"Your remarks about her mental health and questioning her claims about the royal family felt insensitive. There seemed to be bias in the way you targeted her."
"But being skeptical isn’t the same as being racist. Are you serious?"
"You're interrupting me. It feels dismissive. You're asking a person of color to explain how your comments could be perceived as racist without letting me finish."
"It has nothing to do with your skin color. I'm just asking for clarity on your accusations."
"I tweeted that your remarks were racist. I didn't say you were a racist outright, but your targeting of Meghan’s mental health and questioning her experiences came across as racially biased. Many people felt the same way."
"You mentioned 57,000 complaints to Ofcom. Those were dismissed, and they upheld my right to free speech. Why do you keep calling me a racist?"
"You consistently questioned Meghan’s claims. That behavior can impact someone's mental health, and it felt racially insensitive. As a black person, I felt compelled to stand up for her."
"I’m not a racist, and I’m not playing the victim here. I criticized Meghan and Harry because I believe they were dishonest about their experiences with the royal family."
"You’re dismissing the role of race in this conversation. When high-profile figures like you make comments without evidence, it reinforces negative stereotypes."
"But if you can’t point to any specific racist comments I've made, then how can you justify your claims?"
"I felt your remarks were racially insensitive. It’s not just about one tweet; it’s the overall impact of your words."
"Let’s pivot to the recent news. Harry and Meghan have made it clear they’re not working royals. They recently visited Nigeria in what looked like a royal tour, complete with ceremonies and local engagement. This seems contradictory to their stance."
"They’ve crafted a narrative around their identity, and their trip had all the hallmarks of a royal engagement. Meghan even revealed she took a DNA test that showed her Nigerian heritage."
"It feels like a calculated move. The British royal family is struggling with its relationship with former colonies, and the accusations of racism have not helped."
"Exactly. The royal family has faced criticism over perceived racial insensitivity. This dynamic creates tension that’s hard to ignore."
"Do you believe Meghan sees herself as a future American president? Some commentators suggest she has political ambitions."
"There’s speculation about that, but it’s important to focus on the impact of their actions today. The narrative they create influences public perception."
"Let’s discuss the implications of having two royal families: the official one and the Sussexes. Can both exist in the same space?"
"That's a big question. The traditional royal family and Harry and Meghan’s public image are at odds, and there’s a struggle for relevance."
