Piers Morgan blasts Meghan and Harry for ‘wasting taxpayers money on Africa move’ to escape ‘rift’ with Kate and Wills
The outspoken columnist said Britain has 'apparently got too small' for the 'royal rock stars' and slammed the expensive move
PIERS Morgan has launched an attack on Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s potential plans to move to South Africa for four months a year.
The outspoken columnist slammed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for wanting “to be King and Queen of Africa” – as the UK will have to shell out millions for the relocation.
Writing on the , Piers said how “apparently, Britain has already got too small” for the “royal rock stars” and they now feel the need to rub off their “regal stardust magic there”.
He said that the couple will require round-the-clock security teams from the Met Police, plus funding for their royal entourage and staff members, which could cost the taxpayer in the six figures.
His criticism is that “’Queen’ Meghan will not care”.
Piers wrote: “Since marrying into the British Royal Family, she’s already shown a gleeful propensity for spending money in a manner so extravagant she’s been dubbed ‘Meghan Antoinette’ in honour of the infamously over-the-top 18th Century French Queen.”
WHAT COULD A MOVE TO AFRICAN FOR MEGHAN AND HARRY COST THE TAXPAYER?
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s move could reach over £1 million in travel, security costs and paying for staff.
The Sun revealed that the royal parents-to-be are in talks to move to South Africa for four months a year in a bombshell that has stunned royal watchers.
The country is top of a shortlist of African nations where they are expected to create a home from as early as next year. Another Commonwealth state, Botswana, is a close second.
The annual cost of the SO14 unit who protect the Royal Family has been estimated at around £130million according to the
However, experts say that the Sussex’s secondment to Africa could cost an extra £1million to pay for additional officers to be flown to Africa, medical costs, insurance, travel as well as accommodation.
Former Scotland Yard commander John O’Connor called on the Royal Family to make a contribution to the police security bill.
Piers pointed out examples of Meghan’s ‘expensive taste’, like her £386,607 Clare Waight Keller wedding dress at the £30million royal wedding last May and said it was paid for by the British taxpayer.
He also said how “absurd” her star-studded £300,000 baby shower was in February, with private jet travel, A-listers and the most expensive suite in New York.
Although the trip was mainly paid for by her millionaire friends, the pregnant royal’s security team was again funded by the taxpayer.
He wrote of the unconfirmed Africa move: “British people certainly won’t want to be paying their taxes to support Harry and Meghan as they play virtue-signalling King and Queen of Africa at the same time as Britain suffers widely predicted serious economic hardship as a result of the Brexit vote to leave the European Union.”
The Sunday Times reports that the motivation behind Meghan and Harry’s shock plan to uproot to Africa after the birth of their baby could be to “keep them out to the limelight for a bit".
Piers said that the "ridiculous African adventure" could also be Meghan and Harry trying to create a "new rival version of the Monarchy" in the wake of rumours of a rift between the Fab Four.
The Sunday Times also said the move could be in light of fears that Meghan could become “bigger than Diana”, which Piers shot down.
He said the duchess is not in the same fame stratosphere as Diana occupied, mainly due to the order of royal ascension.
He wrote that Meghan and Harry pale into “insignificance” compared to Prince William and Kate Middleton, who will one day be King and Queen.
Although the palace has not confirmed the move, Piers said the timing of an African relocation “couldn’t be worse”.
He referred to the recent backlash by British Labour politician David Lammy, who slated celebrities travelling to Africa for “perpetuating tired and unhelpful stereotypes” and fuelled “an old idea from the colonial era.”
Strictly Come Dancing star Stacey Dooley came under fire after she travelled to Uganda for a documentary ahead of Red Nose Day.
David Lammy said at the time: “Her Instagram conveys the age-old trope that is her as the heroine and the black child as the victim and we have to stop it".
Piers said: “I fear a similar negative reaction to Harry and Meghan, notwithstanding the fact she is herself from a mixed race family, if they now spend several years wrapping their arms around African children to show how much they care.”
He also said that the Met Police are currently struggling to cope with a surge in knife crime in London, but that at the end of the day “what Meghan wants, Meghan gets.”
He concluded: “Meghan Markle’s hit the jackpot, but at what cost to the rest of us?”
The Royal Household told Fabulous Digital: “Any future plans for The Duke and Duchess are speculative at this stage.
“No decisions have been taken about future roles. The Duke will continue to fulfil his role as Commonwealth Youth Ambassador.”
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Piers previously accused Meghan Markle of being a ‘fake social climber’ and claims she’s using Prince Harry to get to the top.
He also slammed her for ‘ghosting’ him and telling her Suits co-stars to ‘stop talking’ to him.