Romance author Emily Giffin has offered an apology for calling out Meghan Markle and unambiguously questioning the maternal qualities of the Duchess of Sussex.
Her comments came in response to an Instagram video of Markle reading a children's book to Archie, her and Prince Harry's son who celebrated his first birthday on 6 May. The short video was recorded for the charity Save the Children.
Giffin posted a text-message conversation to Instagram in which she called Markle "phony" and "unmaternal" in the video, according to screenshots posted to Twitter.
"Adorable child and book", Giffin said in one Instagram post. "But...Holy ‘me first.’ This is the Megan show. Why didn't she film and let Harry read?"
The posts prompted a storm of criticism, with some alleging that Giffin might have some racial bias towards the Duchess.
Since you blocked me on Instagram, and likely deleted my comment, I thought I'd post it here. Maybe you should take some time to read the responses you're receiving and see this as an opportunity to examine your obvious bias against a woman of color. @emilygiffin pic.twitter.com/OIWY0XxQ1O
— Lisa Bee (@leebee4life) May 6, 2020
@MacmillanUSA this is the kind of person you guys choose to work with? Just know that Meghan and Harry fans will NEVER purchase another book published by your company as long as your affiliated by a racist person like @emilygiffin
— нυяяι¢αηє м 🦇 (@emmytargaryen) May 6, 2020
You wonder what Karens have against Meghan? Author @emilygiffin is the example of it. pic.twitter.com/1J9exYZDd7
— Julieth 🌻 (@troubleshade) May 6, 2020
"Where does novelist Emily Giffin find the energy to hate Meghan Markle so much", one weighed in, with others echoing:
Hey @emilygiffin why do you hate Meghan Markle? Do you know her personally or are you just so bored with your blessed life you need to try and destroy another woman?! I’m so sick of this shit. https://t.co/2u0oGsYx0f
— Jaime Primak (@JaimePrimak) May 6, 2020
The attacks even led the author to switch the settings of her account to private - a move that hasn't gone unnoticed on Twitter either, with quite a few taking a dig at her over her "double standards":
Emily Giffin is just an example of many women who can't deal with being criticized for a day without locking down all their accounts but expected Meghan to "grow up" and cope with the racism and constant scrutiny from the British media. #Hypocrites #DoubleStandards
— Julieth 🌻 (@troubleshade) May 6, 2020
Right?? She's mad they stepped back from duties because of the bullying AND THEN LOCKS HER ACCOUNT for being called out FOR BEING A BULLY?!? SMDH
— JS Lewis (@partydressjs) May 7, 2020
Giffin later apologised arguing that there were no racist undertones in her comments.
Continuing to clarify her stance, the writer noted in her apologetic remarks that she "absolutely loved that a biracial, American woman was marrying into the Royal Family", despite admitting at the same time that she felt bothered by how both Markle and Prince Harry handled their departure from royal duties earlier this year.
"Burying the hatchet?", a Twitterian inquired provocatively.
"Only apologising because she got dragged even by her fans", another suggested adding ROFLing smileys below the comment.
"You called this an apology?", another fumed, while many more noted they would never open her book again and branded her apology "fake":
Can safely say I’ll never read a book written by her again. https://t.co/fTFg5cLb9o
— Shelby (@ShelbyS_HTX) May 7, 2020
So Emily Giffin made the mistake of reopening that IG account. That fake apology may have upset me even more. #SussexSquad pic.twitter.com/OevzOwOsw8
— Goldburn P. Maynard Jr. (@deathntaxesprof) May 6, 2020
I got blocked by Emily Giffin on Instagram today after she posted a fake apology saying her comments towards Meghan Markle were “misconstrued”...
— Mia Francini (@miajoycette) May 7, 2020
All I did was send a screenshot of her own instagram story saying “I cannot stand Meghan Markle”
Woo the fragility JUMPED OUT 😂
As I predicted here comes the ‘Im not racist I love black people’ fake apology by Emily Giffin while painting herself as a victim .... @Purify_toast17 @lawalazu pic.twitter.com/XmIZpIQdPy
— NoChillMood (@ritaag) May 6, 2020
Ain't nobody got time for that woman's fake apology. It took her to try to turn a beautiful family video for Archie's first birthday into something nasty, racist and totally unnecessary. Emily Giffin need to get somewhere and sit the hell down. I’m tired of the bull.
— Claudius (@IClaudiusR) May 6, 2020
Shortly before the Canadian-US border closed due to the global pandemic, the Sussexes, who stepped down from royal duties earlier this year, left their rented Vancouver home and moved to Markle's hometown of Los Angeles, close to where her mother lives. The couple formally shut down their UK foundation and Buckingham Palace office last week, and is understood to have embarked on a new venture - a health counselling and well-being empire called Archewell.
