Piers Morgan says he named ‘racist’ royal family members to end ‘blackmail threat’

Piers Morgan has explained why he named the two allegedly “racist” members of the royal family featured in a Dutch translation of new book Endgame.

Earlier this week, the broadcaster decided to name the senior members that were inadvertently identified in an excerpt from Omid Scobie’s book about the royal racism scandal involving Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2021.

The claims, made in Scobie’s follow-up to Finding Freedom, feature alongside excerpts detailing the deterioration of Harry and William’s sibling relationship in the hours leading up to the Queen’s death in September 2022.

Morgan decided to name the two allegedly “racist royals” on his Talk TV show Uncensored, identifying King Charles and the Princess of Wales as the two senior royals. Buckingham Palace is yet to respond, but is reportedly “considering all options”.

At the time, he said: “If Dutch people wandering into a bookshop can see these names, then you, the British people who actually pay for the royal family are entitled to know, too.”

Morgan has elaborated upon his reasoning in The Sunday Times, providing three reasons that inspired his decision to sensationally name the royal family members mentioned in Scobie’s book.

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“First, it seemed absurd to me that Dutch people should be privy to significant information about our royal family, but British people would be prevented from knowing it too,” he said, adding: “Second, because this whole farrago has gone on long enough and caused enough damage.

“Frankly, it’s time we were told exactly what was allegedly said by whom to who, when and where it was said, and in exactly what context. Otherwise, this deeply divisive, racially charged sore will continue to ooze its way into global public consciousness.

Morgan continued: “Third, because in reporting the names their identities can no longer be held over them as some kind of blackmail threat by the Sussexes.”

The broadcaster said he believes the named royal family members “never made any racist comments”, calling the allegations “a sickening slur” on their characters.

Scobie has denied having any knowledge that the two names would be featured in the Dutch translation of his new book, and refuted claims it was a “publicity stunt” during an appearance on BBC series Newsnight.

In 2021, Markle, during an explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey, claimed there had been “concerns and conversations” about how dark Prince Archie’s skin might be when she was pregnant.

Markle also said her alleged treatment by royal family members led her to contemplate suicide – something Morgan claimed he didn’t believe.

While sharing this sentiment on Good Morning Britain, Morgan stormed off the show after clashing with weatherman Alex Beresford, who said Morgan was eager to “trash” Markle.

Morgan later returned to the set but, later that day, it was confirmed that the broadcaster was exiting the ITV morning show after six years.