Outrage after TV show starring Meghan Markle's friend makes 'obscene' sexual joke about Princess of Wales
22 May 2023, 08:11
Royal fans have erupted in anger after an Amazon TV show starring a friend of Meghan Markle deployed an "obscene" sexual joke about Kate Middleton.
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The spy thriller Citadel, featuring Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Game of Thrones star James Madden, shows a crime boss comparing breaking into an office to getting "between the legs of the Duchess of Cambridge".
Ms Chopra Jonas has been friends with Meghan since 2016 and was a guest at her wedding. The actress was later interviewed by Meghan for her blog The Tig, and wrote a widely-read open letter praising her before she got married.
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams called Citadel's script "outrageous".
"It is absolutely surreal that anybody would stoop to obscene comments," he added. "It’s quite extraordinary."
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He added: "I think it’s shocking. It stars Priyanka Chopra, who we know appears to be a backer of Meghan’s.
"Amazon must explain what obscenities to real people, to members of the royal family, are doing in their film."
In her 2018 letter to Ms Markle, Ms Chopra said: "More than anything else, Meghan is an important influencer in a world that needs strong public figures to respect and look up to.
“People the world can be inspired by. Meghan, standing shoulder to shoulder with Harry, will be a princess for the people."
It comes as a live action remake of The Little Mermaid appears to take a subtle dig at Kate Middleton during one scene, according to a film critic.
The film, which features Halle Bailey and Melissa McCarthy, had its UK premiere earlier this month. One reviewer told Page Six, that the movie seems to make a reference to the British royal family, describing a scene where Ariel is unable to speak and Prince Eric attempts to guess her name.
They said: "His first guess is Diana. His second guess is Catherine, but after [Ariel gives a disgusted] reaction, he [concludes] ‘OK, definitely not Catherine'."
In the original film, a similar scene takes place, as Ariel gives up her voice in exchange for a chance to explore beyond the sea.
While the Disney prince does guess the name Diana in the original animation, his follow-up guesses were Mildred and Rachel – not Catherine.
The name Diana used alongside Catherine has led some to believe the name choices were more than coincidence.
The critic added: "Disney would be disingenuous to imply those name choices were coincidental."
