The Most Surprising Things Piers Morgan Has Said About The Royal Family
It's not at all a surprise that the British royal family has their fair share of critics. Members of the public — especially the young people — have often cried out for the financial toll the royals take, as much of their operational money comes from taxpayers. Others — such as those thoroughly dedicated to the late Queen Elizabeth II — can't get enough of the stiff upper lipped members of the monarchy. And others, like controversial media figure Piers Morgan, make it their life's mission to drag the royals through the mud.
Morgan has always been a charged figure, offering judgment on "Britain's Got Talent" to giving his take on all things royal related while a host of "Good Morning Britain." Though vocal in the past, Morgan took on a new sense of fervor when Meghan Markle came onto the scene, seemingly making it his purpose to kick the Duchess of Sussex when she was already down. Despite her and Prince Harry moving to the United States, Morgan has continued to take aim at the biracial divorcee, resulting in both fans and foes as he's done so.
Surprisingly, however, Morgan hasn't just taken shots at Meghan and Harry, but has instead offered his criticism of many members of the family — he even defended the Sussexes once, which was a shock to say the very least. From raking Prince Andrew over the coals to asserting that Prince William isn't fit to be king, Morgan has said it all.
Piers Morgan personally lobbied King Charles III with a request
When King Charles III assumed the royal position that he had been preparing his whole life for, he made it clear early on that he was going to shake things up. One of first changes he made had to do with Prince Andrew, Prince Harry, and Meghan Markle, notably considering slashing Andrew's allowance and relocating him from the Royal Lodge to the much more affordable Frogmore Cottage. The catch? Harry and Meghan technically called Frogmore Cottage their British home, and the king asked them to vacate. Naturally, such a change gave the vocal Piers Morgan ample opportunity to speak out. The surprise, however, came when he lobbied Charles directly.
"Harry and Meghan think that they can carry on having their royal cake and eating it using those royal titles while abusing the institution that afforded them those titles, and as usual, they're wrong and King Charles is right to draw the curtain on this ludicrous soap opera," Morgan said on "Uncensored," specifically highlighting their required move out of Frogmore and his support of the king's decision (via Hello! Magazine).
Harry and Meghan, meanwhile, expressed concern over the request given their security concerns when traveling to Britain. Nevertheless, they confirmed the king's demand in a statement given to Hello! Magazine. "We can confirm The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been requested to vacate their residence at Frogmore Cottage," their spokesperson said.
The television host took things too far against Meghan and Harry
It truly felt as though a portion of the world stood still when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle sat down with Oprah Winfrey and dropped bomb after bomb about their time in the royal family. Revealing that both of them suffered from deteriorating mental health due to the lack of support from the firm and the aggressive royal rota, Meghan specifically shared that she was on the suicidal verge, asking if she could seek treatment. Sadly, she was not given the backing she needed.
After the Oprah interview aired, many people expressed their appreciation for the couple's candidness — Piers Morgan was not one of them. During "Great Morning Britain" the following day, Morgan went as far to say that Meghan was lying — things only got more heated from there. 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," he said on-air (via the BBC). "The fact that she's fired up this onslaught against our royal family I think is contemptible."
Things got so bad that Morgan eventually walked off the set — shortly thereafter, ITV announced that they were parting ways with the controversial host. "Following discussions with ITV, Piers Morgan has decided now is the time to leave 'Good Morning Britain.' ITV has accepted this decision and has nothing further to add," the network noted.
Piers Morgan defended Harry and Meghan while contrasting them with Prince Andrew
Piers Morgan's criticism of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle got so bad that he did, as aforementioned, surprisingly lose his job at "Good Morning Britain." In an equally surprising move, however, he ended up defending the Sussexes when talking with royal editor Katie Nicholl about Prince Andrew. Of course, Andrew has all but retreated from public life following his lawsuit with sexual abuse accuser Virginia Giuffre, who ended up settling with the royal. Shortly after the settlement, Morgan took aim at the Duke of York and dragged him over the coals when it was suggested that he would try to re-enter his role among the firm.
"Is Prince Andrew trying to weasel his way back into the Royal Family and public?" Morgan asked, before shockingly defending Harry and Meghan — a move no one saw coming. "Katie, this does grate on me, I have to say. ... I think justifiably, in most cases, but what [Harry and Meghan have] done, to be honest, pales into insignificance in my opinion, to a senior member of the royal family paying millions of dollars to make a sex abuse case go away," he said on an episode of "Uncensored" (via Express). While the exact number is unknown, it has been reported that Giuffre was paid roughly $16 million, with the late Queen Elizabeth II allegedly helping to cover the tab.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
Piers Morgan stood up for a protestor
In the United States, protestors and hecklers follow politicians and public figures like it's an Olympic Sport. More often than not, said public figures strike back in some way, giving the whole ordeal a particular brand of twisted patriotism. But, in the United Kingdom, seldom are the times when members of the royal family are met with protestors, and it seems as though they don't exactly know what to do on the rare occasions it does happen.
When the late Queen Elizabeth II's coffin was traveling through Edinburgh in the aftermath of her death, her son, Prince Andrew, walked behind it. Though he has retreated from public life, it wasn't surprising to see him there — what was shocking was the young man heckling him as he made his way down the street. As reported by The Telegraph, the man shouted, "Andrew, you're a sick old man." The protester was promptly shoved by spectators around him, and the police eventually removed him from the scene while he yelled at the prince. And Piers Morgan — someone who often defends the royal family — spoke out and was shockingly on the heckler's side.
"In this country you have the right to disagree and protest loudly," Morgan said on "Uncensored" following the incident. "Silencing dissent like this is a bit disturbing, it feels over the top. It's not British."
Instead of criticizing, Piers Morgan supported a controversial royal
Of all the royal family members, few have caused the amount of drama that Camilla, Queen Consort, has. Though she is far more in favor with the British public these days, Camilla was cast as the other woman in the marriage between then-Prince Charles and the late Diana Spencer, with the whole of Great Britain seemingly taking Diana's side. After Diana tragically died in 1997, any plan to re-introduce Camilla to the public was abandoned, and she and Charles waited until 2005 to finally get married.
You'd think that of all the royal disrupters, Camilla would take the heat from the likes of Piers Morgan the most — quite the contrary, as it turns out. In a column for The Sun written in 2022, Morgan sung Camilla's praises, recalling their decades-long friendship and praising her dedication to the crown.
"I've known Camilla for over 20 years, and we've always got on oddly well. We're both massively misunderstood and unfairly maligned public figures!" he wrote. "The real Camilla's a smart, warm, incredibly down-to-earth, and gregarious person who's not only terrific company but can make you laugh out loud with her dry dead-pan wit. Nobody other than the queen better epitomizes this philosophy than Camilla who's been subjected to more abuse, ridicule, and savage media criticism than any other member of the royal family following the fall-out from her affair with Charles, yet who has never once publicly responded to it."
Piers Morgan's surprising thoughts on Prince Harry and the coronation
Though he became king immediately following his mother's death, King Charles III has yet to be crowned. His coronation is on May 6, 2023, and despite the tension that has brewed between him and Prince Harry, Charles' son will be in attendance. There was much debate, however, on whether or not Meghan Markle would join him. As it happens, the coronation is scheduled on the same day as little Prince Archie's birthday — as such, Meghan and the kids will stay behind in California.
Given that he has been a prince his entire life and it's his father being crowned, Harry's attendance at the coronation doesn't come as a huge shock. Despite his connection to the crown, however, Piers Morgan had some foul words for Harry amid the news that he would be making his way back to the United Kingdom.
"[I am] very disappointed Harry is going to be there [and] disappointed with Charles, although I completely understand it as a father, why he's felt the need to do this," Morgan said of the decision to invite Harry (via Independent). "What the hell is Prince Harry doing, having trashed the family in that horrible book he wrote? ... He's doing it because I suspect Meghan Markle has gone, 'You better get over there and get on that balcony somehow, because our entire commercial world depends on you still being a dominant member of the royal family,'" Morgan continued.
The television host was hot and cold about the Sussexes and their titles
Piers Morgan seems to defend Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in one breath, and then completely shoot them down in another. Timing has never seemed to be his strong suit, either, and in the immediate aftermath of Queen Elizabeth II's death, Morgan's surprising comments about Meghan and Harry got him into a little bit of hot water on social media.
Appearing on Fox News' "The Five," Morgan recalled King Charles III's first address as monarch, in which he announced that Prince William and Princess Catherine would be given the Prince and Princess of Wales titles respectively. Morgan quickly pointed out that aside from wishing them well in California, Charles didn't bestow any new titles on Meghan and Harry much to Morgan's glee.
"He didn't give [Harry] his title," Morgan said of Charles' poignant remarks following his mother's passing. "And Harry has this wife called Meghan and, alright, he said he used the word 'love,' but they're building their life outside in another country." He continued, "Beneath all this, there was a pretty clear message from Charles that he's getting a bit fed up with this rival royal family based in California, spray gunning the royals and the monarchy whenever it suits him for huge personal enrichment from companies like Netflix and Spotify."
Piers Morgan took aim at Prince William and Princess Catherine
If you thought that Piers Morgan's criticism of the royal family was contained to Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and Prince Andrew, think again. Though less frequent, the controversial media figure has been known to take aim at Prince William and Princess Catherine, specifically roasting them over bad optics in 2016. The two went to an animal sanctuary in India at the time, and were seen feeding young elephants and rhinos with bottles — all very cute, right? Not as far as Morgan was concerned, as he quickly grilled the prince due to William's past comments on hunting.
"So why does it make me feel sick to the very pit of my stomach?" Morgan wrote in the Daily Mail. "Perhaps it's because Prince William likes rich people hunting down these same beautiful animals, killing them in often elongated torture sessions, posing for repulsively smug photos next to their rotting carcasses, and then severing their heads for their office walls back home."
Specifically referring to comments William made to ITV just weeks prior, the prince said that "there's a place for commercial hunting" and went as far as defending the controversial activity. "It's not everyone's cup of tea... but if somebody out there wants to pay money — and it wouldn't be me — but if somebody did, then it is a justifiable means of conserving species that are under serious threat," he said.
Piers Morgan had a surprising take about Prince William being the king
As King Charles III has stepped into his role as monarch, many eyes are on Prince William as his direct heir. In fact, there were quite a lot of rumors surrounding William and his future as king, with some members of the British public supporting the Prince of Wales immediately stepping into the position, circumventing his father in the process. That, of course, did not happen, but when it comes to William's attitude on becoming king, Piers Morgan has had quite a lot to say on the subject. In a Daily Mail column he wrote back in 2016, Morgan recalled meeting William when he was just a teen, revealing that his attitude towards the monarch was "awkward and rigid."
"When I had a private lunch with William, then aged 13, and his mother Diana at Kensington Palace in 1996, I could tell he was a shy, self-conscious teenager who already felt the full weight of the monarchy weighing heavily on his young shoulders," Morgan wrote. Noting that William always came across as smart and kind, Morgan further asserted that William would serve his own interests much better if he left the monarchy.
"It was obvious that he hated being a global goldfish bowl, and I've seen nothing since to suggest he's found it any more bearable as he's got older," Morgan wrote.
A heated response in the wake of Queen Elizabeth's death
Though her age and health were certainly working against her, it still came as a shock when Queen Elizabeth II died in September 2022. Just months after celebrating her Platinum Jubilee, the queen's condition took a turn for the worst — she died at the age of 96 at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, leaving behind an incredible legacy. The world had simply become so used to having her around — for better or worse, she was consistent, and she represented the monarchy on countless occasions with foreign leaders and dignitaries. Naturally, politicians and public figures from around the world expressed their condolences when she passed, many releasing official statements honoring her life and legacy. Among the chorus of remembrances was Russian president Vladimir Putin, who expressed sadness over the queen's passing and offered his thoughts to the royal family. As far as Piers Morgan was concerned, this crossed the line on just about every level.
"You know what Putin, you can stick your condolences," Morgan said in the wake of the Russian president's comments, which came amid the ongoing Russian attack on Ukraine (via the Independent). Bringing up the violent conflict specifically in his retort, Morgan continued, "It's the loss you're causing to lives in Ukraine that I'm concerned about. So stick your condolences where the sun don't shine."
Piers Morgan added fuel to the Harry and William fire
The world has watched as Prince Harry and Prince William's relationship has gone from strained to distant to fully estranged. With Harry and Meghan Markle now living in California and doing life on their own terms — and William and Princess Catherine firmly establishing themselves as the future of the monarchy — their lives could not look any different. Adding a bit of fuel to the fire burning between the brothers, Piers Morgan commented on the matter and praised William and Catherine for "stepping up" to the plate after Harry and Meghan stepped back from their royal roles — in Morgan's eyes, the Sussexes wanted to be celebrities more than anything else.
"What's interesting about this is Kate Middleton doesn't normally do podcasts or interviews," Morgan said on an episode of "The Talk," highlighting the more prominent role that Catherine started to play once Harry and Meghan left the firm, including more press interactions (via the Business Times). "So what you're seeing is Meghan and Harry quit Britain, quit the royals, they don't want to do it anymore, they want to go and speak to banks and be celebrities," he continued. "That's fine. But they've got [to] leave the work, the duty, now for the other royals. So in stepped William and Kate. And I think they've really stepped up."
His comments about Prince Louis definitely came as a shock
It goes without saying that focusing criticism on the child of any public figure is a slippery slope. Even at their fathers' worst political fights, Chelsea Clinton vehemently defended Barron Trump when it came to his media coverage, arguing that kids in the public eye — who can't help who their parents are — should absolutely be left alone. Piers Morgan, however, didn't seem to get the memo to leave the kids out of it, and a surprising tweet about Prince Louis definitely blew back on him.
Louis, of course, is known for his larger than life personality and his expressive faces. During a Buckingham Palace balcony appearance, he hilariously covered his ears and screamed — at what we can only assume was the top of his lungs — and it was all caught on camera. Using the photos to take a dig at Meghan Markle, Morgan wrote alongside the image of Louis, "Is this when Aunty Meghan arrived?" Twitter users were quick to slam the controversial media figure for involving one of the royal kids, but he didn't seem to mind.
"The huge reaction to my tweet perfectly summarizes public opinion to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex," Morgan told the New York Post following the blowback. "Most people laughed because they're now global laughing stocks after all their hypocritical money-grabbing royal-bashing antics."