Piers Morgan definitely had a vendetta against Meghan Markle

Following his hasty departure from Good Morning Britain, much has been said about Morgan's apparent targeted campaign against the Duchess of Sussex. He has attempted to gloss over it, claiming it was all in the name of 'free speech,' but there's free speech and then his agenda – and obsession – with Meghan Markle. And it's the latter that is concerning.

It all began innocuously enough: Piers Morgan first met Meghan Markle at a bar in Kensington in 2016.

At the time, the US actress was starring in legal drama Suits. After forming what Morgan describes as a “friendship” over social media, she met Morgan while on a visit to the UK, during which she also watched Wimbledon matches with her friend Serena Williams.

“We spent two hours in a pub, she had a couple of dirty martinis, I had a couple of pints, we got on brilliantly,” Morgan told Ryan Tubridy on RTÉ’s The Late Late Show.

“And then I put her in a cab, and it turned out to be a cab which took her to a party where she met Prince Harry. And the next night they had a solo dinner together, and that was the last I heard from Meghan Markle.”

The “Ghosting”

“She ghosted me, Ryan,” Morgan concluded. “Meghan Markle ghosted me.”

And that was it – the obsession with Markle having “ghosted him” began – and he never let go of it.

The motive for Piers’ obsession with Meghan is pretty clear pic.twitter.com/aAhfWV8RAP

— Kolley Kibber (@camcamdamn) March 5, 2021

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Why? Did he begrudge the fact that a beautiful actress saw him only as an acquaintance and decided to leave things alone after one casual evening, after which she began dating one of the most famous men in the world? Well, one can only assume… yes?

A turn

Because fast forward a mere six years later and he has certainly turned more than a little venomous towards her.

Screenshots circulating on Twitter showed just how many column inches Morgan has filled in recent years with many scathing attacks on both Meghan and Harry. And for what? He has an opinion, yes, he is entitled to, of course, but the coverage indicates more than a dislike – it appears to be a calculated campaign of negative press coverage that has never abated from his side. Some of it is aimed at Harry, but much of it was – and still is – aimed at Meghan.

When you actually look at the sheer number of articles Piers Morgan has written about Meghan Markle, not to mention the malevolence and absolute venom behind them, it is crystal-clear that the man is deranged. pic.twitter.com/dAsZ9uHMTN

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— Kolley Kibber (@camcamdamn) March 4, 2021

He knows what he’s doing though; skilled at stirring and riling his guests up (we’ve seen it time and time again), as some TV presenters like to do and in positive ways, Morgan is unafraid to hold certain public figures to account – his stance on the early lockdown days towards politicians was especially good and generally, widely praised.

But when it comes to Meghan and Harry, it makes for deeply uncomfortable viewing, not least because the same undertones have always been echoed by many of the British tabloids when it comes to the duchess.

“Harry and Meghan are the world’s most tone-deaf, hypocritical, narcissistic, deluded, whiny brats.”

“Meghan Markle is a ruthless social climbing actress.”

“Sorry George, Meghan Markle’s no Princess Diana and it’s not the media who vilified her – it’s her own family who she abandoned for celebrities like you.”

The coverage reads like personal attacks, and not simply “freedom of speech.”

The exit

Then, following the Oprah interview last year, Morgan stormed off the set of Good Morning Britain, after a presenter condemned his treatment of Harry and Meghan.

Speaking directly to Morgan, Alex Beresford said he understands that Morgan doesn’t like Meghan, telling him, “you’ve made it so clear a number of times on this programme, a number of times”.

“And I understand that you’ve got a personal relationship with Meghan Markle, or had one and she cut you off. She’s entitled to cut you off if she wants to.

“Has she said anything about you since she cut you off? I don’t think she has, yet you continue to trash her.”

Morgan then got up and left his chair, saying he was “done with this” before storming out of the studio.

Piers Morgan having a normal one, storms off the set of his own show pic.twitter.com/gsk4hPSdWu

— Gavin Coote (@GavinCoote) March 9, 2021

ITV said following discussions, Morgan had decided now was the time to leave the show. “ITV has accepted this decision and has nothing further to add.”

It was then reported Ofcom had received more than 41,000 complaints about Morgan’s behaviour after he dismissed Markle’s claims about her suicidal thoughts while in the royal family.

She told Oprah, she had asked to go somewhere to get help with these suicidal thoughts, but was told it would not look good by one of the most senior people in the institution of the monarchy.

Days prior to walking off, Morgan questioned on Good Morning Britain whether she was telling the truth. “Who did you go to?” he said. “What did they say to you? I’m sorry, I don’t believe a word she said, Meghan Markle. I wouldn’t believe it if she read me a weather report.”

The remarks provoked a backlash, and during the following day’s programme, Morgan said: “When we talked about this yesterday, I said as an all-encompassing thing I don’t believe what Meghan Markle is saying generally in this interview, and I still have serious concerns about the veracity of a lot of what she said.

“But let me just state on the record my position about mental illness and on suicide. These are clearly extremely serious things that should be taken extremely seriously, and if someone is feeling that way they should get the treatment and help they need every time.”

Meghan’s response

It was then reported on Thursday, Meghan Markle filed a formal complaint with British broadcaster ITV, after Morgan’s outburst.

The Press Association news agency said it understood Meghan formally complained to ITV before he resigned, confirming a report in the Daily Telegraph newspaper.

The complaint focused on how his remarks may affect those trying to deal with their own mental health problems.

Let’s hope that this might mark the end of it, but who knows? Morgan, undoubtedly won’t be going anywhere.