Graham Norton, known for his humorous honesty about fellow celebrities, has shared his views on the Prince Harry and Meghan Markle controversy and its impact on the Royal Family.
Speaking on “Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen,” the renowned chat show host discussed the British public’s perception of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, as reported by the Express. During a previous episode of the American chat show, he suggested that the ongoing saga has inadvertently “deified” Prince William and Princess Kate.
Andy Cohen, aged 56, asked Norton in September 2023: “Since you can speak for all Brits, what would you say is the overriding feeling about Harry and Meghan over there at this point?”
Norton replied, “Well, it’s difficult. I think in the press, it is very anti-them and it has been sort of a gift to William and Kate because now they are like deified and can do no wrong. But do regular people care that much? I don’t think they do. I think they just think let them live their lives.”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been embroiled in controversy since stepping down from Royal duties in 2020 and moving to the US, where they’ve undertaken various personal projects. These include a Netflix documentary series titled “Harry and Meghan” in 2022 and the release of Prince Harry’s revealing memoir, “Spare,” which became an instant global bestseller last year despite mixed reviews.
In the same conversation, Norton recounted an amusing anecdote involving Prince Harry and the late Star Wars icon, Carrie Fisher, revealing how she was “obsessed” with meeting the prince.
Graham recounted a memorable encounter: “I came out of the toilets and there was this man that went, ‘What are you doing here?’ And I went, ‘Oh, I’m just going to the toilet,’ and it was Harry.”
He also shared how Carrie Fisher, who accompanied him that night, became fixated on meeting Prince Harry due to her iconic role as Princess Leia. They eventually found Harry, leading to a moment Graham recounts: “Somewhere there is a picture of Princess Leia and Prince Harry.”
The beloved actress Carrie Fisher passed away suddenly from cardiac arrest in December 2016 at the age of 60, having appeared on The Graham Norton Show just weeks prior. Reflecting on her last show appearance in 2017, Graham expressed his feelings to the Irish News: “It was that thing like, ‘Oh, if we’d known, I wish we’d done a better job.'”
He spoke of the difficulty in coming to terms with her passing, saying, “It was such a shock. And because she wasn’t someone who was in my life all the time, it’s taken a long time to figure out that she has gone.”
Norton’s comments highlight the ongoing fascination and divided opinions surrounding Harry and Meghan, while also paying tribute to his memorable encounters with celebrities like Carrie Fisher, adding a personal touch to his reflections on the Royal Family saga.