In the midst of all the attention surrounding Meghan Markle and Prince Harry following the release of Harry & Meghan and the Duke of Sussex’s revealing memoir Spare, another point of attention and contention revolves around Jeremy Clarkson and a column he wrote about the Duchess of Sussex. The former Top Gear host wrote a scathing column about Markle in December, and now, following about 25,100 complaints, an investigation has been launched.
Clarkson had a column published in The Sun almost two months ago -- around the time those with a Netflix subscription watched Meghan & Harry. Now, following major backlash over the critical column, an investigation has been opened. The column was met with major backlash and consequences, as different outlets cut ties with the TV personality, and others, like ITV said they do not approve of what he said. Now, the Independent Press Standards Organization has confirmed it will investigate The Sun and Clarkson's column, according to THR.
The reason for the investigation has to do with the number of complaints surrounding what the former TV host said following the highly talked about premiere of Harry & Meghan. For context, the article included Clarkson saying he thought the Prince was being “controlled” by Markle. He also wrote that he was “dreaming of the day when she is made to parade naked through the streets of every town in Britain while the crowds chant ‘Shame!’ and throw lumps of excrement at her,” via THR.
The investigation will move forward based on complaints from The Fawcett Society and The Wilde Foundation, they explained the column impacted them because it breached the UK Editor’s Code on the counts of harassment, discrimination and accuracy. In a statement from the press watchdog, they explained the outcome of the investigation will be made public through their website and social media channels.
Many public figures spoke out against what Clarkson said, along with many others on social media. His own daughter, Emily Clarkson, also made it clear she did not approve of her father’s words, posting on Instagram, via The Guardian:
I want to make it very clear that I stand against everything my dad said about Meghan Markle and I remain standing in support of those who are targeted with online hatred.
Clarkson has faced controversy before, as he got in trouble while working at BBC a few years ago, however, now he's facing major backlash for what he wrote. In terms of this column, he did say he apologized to the royal couple, however, according to The Independent, Prince Harry and Markle released a statement saying Clarkson only apologized to the Duke and not the Duchess.
All these complaints and now the investigation are coming during the intense coverage of the royal couple due to the docuseries, Prince Harry’s book, and his many appearances on the 2023 TV schedule to talk about his family. As the investigation continues into the Independent Press Standards Organization's most complained-about article ever, according to the Independent, we’ll be sure to update you whenever a decision is made about Clarkson and what he wrote about Meghan Markle.
