Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s PR team reportedly told the BBC to be impartial in its reporting of their recent interview with Oprah Winfrey and not just use “old white men” in news coverage.
“The BBC by its very nature has to be impartial at all times. So to be told how to conduct their coverage of a major news event by a PR person acting on behalf of Harry and Meghan is a bit strange to say the least,” a source told the Sun.
“This is the U.K., not China. You can’t tell the BBC how to conduct its journalism, which frankly, was more than fair and balanced,” the person added.
A representative for the couple’s Archewell company reportedly told reporters with the BBC to use a “broad range of contributors” after the Winfrey interview aired.
The BBC was asked about the reported directive and responded, “we would never confirm whether the representatives of anyone had been in touch,” noting the outlet is contacted by PR firms on a regular basis.
The report comes after representatives for Markle allegedly filed a complaint with a British network on her behalf over comments broadcaster Piers Morgan made regarding the Winfrey interview.
“I wouldn’t believe her if she read me a weather report,” Piers said of Markle on the show Good Morning Britain.
Markle had revealed during her interview that she contemplated suicide while serving as a working royal, and she also claimed that Buckingham Palace had “concerns” about how dark her son’s skin would be.
Morgan parted ways with Good Morning Britain this week, following him storming off a set of the show after receiving pushback over his criticisms of Markle.
Morgan, however, has stuck by his comments casting doubts on Markle’s claims, saying freedom of speech is a hill he’s “happy to die on.”
“On Monday, I said I didn’t believe Meghan Markle in her Oprah interview. I’ve had time to reflect on this opinion, and I still don’t,” Morgan tweeted Wednesday, accompanied by a photo and quote from Winston Churchill. “If you did, OK. Freedom of speech is a hill I’m happy to die on. Thanks for all the love, and hate. I’m off to spend more time with my opinions.”