‘I don’t have to justify myself to you’: Vanessa Feltz and royal biographer in heated exchange over Meghan Markle

Vanessa Feltz and royal biographer Angela Levin had a heated discussion over Meghan Markle during an interview on TalkTV on Monday (12 September).

Levin, who has written biographies for Prince Harry and Camilla, Queen Consort, was being interviewed on Feltz’s TalkTV show when the debate took place.

In a discussion about the reunion of the Prince and Princess of Wales (William and Kate) and The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (Harry and Meghan) Levin said that she didn’t think “Meghan was fit to be in the royal family because she hates it”.

Feltz questioned Levin over the comments and her historic criticism of Markle, saying: “Do you feel you have been responsible for fuelling a kind of anti-Meghan faction that has been spiteful and targeting and possibly fanciful as well?”

“Quite a lot of what’s been said about her has been manufactured anyway,” she added.

Levin was quick to deny the allegations, dismissing them as Feltz’s opinion on her character and responding: “It’s up to you what you think of me.”

“I think talking to Oprah Winfrey was a disgrace, there were at least 17 lies there,” she said. “I think she’s attacked the royals completely unnecessarily. I think she’s changed Harry to be a sort of walking victim.”

Feltz said that Levin’s remarks seemed to imply that Harry was “a sap” or “malleable”.

“He’s served very bravely in mortal combat, he’s not the kind of guy who can be pushed around, is he?” Feltz questioned.

“I don’t have to justify myself to you. I’m not in court. This is my view, this is what I’ve said,” Levin retorted. “People ask me questions and I answer them honestly to what I’ve said.”

“I’ve followed them very closely. I’ve spent 15 months with Prince Harry. The Prince Harry I knew was absolutely charming, instinctive like his mother, full of fun, and now he looks, when he’s out, incredibly unhappy and very tense and resentful.”

Later, Feltz argued: “I wonder whether you know if it’s based on any real knowledge of [Meghan’s] personality and what she truly feels and thinks. After all, how can you know? How can any of us really know?”

Feltz continued her line of questioning, asking Levin whether her views might just be “conjecture”.

Seeming to take offence to this, Levin said: “If you want to attack me you shouldn’t invite me on.”

“You’ve got an agenda there to attack me. I don’t think I want to be invited on this programme and treated in this manner,” she continued.

Markle has been praised for remaining composed in the face of some apparent hostility from some members of the crowd, as she greeted members of the public following the late Queen’s death.

She was joined by her husband Harry, and the Prince and Princess of Wales as they visited Windsor Castle gates to view the floral tributes left by the crowd.

It was the first time the royal couples had been seen together in more than two years.

Follow the latest updates following the death of Queen Elizabeth II here