The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have announced a charitable Christmas gesture amid a public row over a column written about Meghan Markle in The Sun by Jeremy Clarkson.
A photograph of a pile of presents was shared to the Archewell Foundation’s website on Tuesday (20 December), alongside the news that the couple had “organised gifts for more than 30 different reunified and refugee families” at the US and Mexico border.
A statement reads: “On Friday, the Archewell team including The Archewell Foundation, Archewell Audio and Archewell Productions gathered to celebrate the holidays and participate in This Is About Humanity’s annual Holiday Party for Reunified Families represented by Immigrant Defenders Law Centre.
“Led by The Archewell Foundation, the company organised holiday gifting for over 30 reunified and refugee families. This Is About Humanity creates a community of allies and advocates dedicated to raising awareness about separated and reunified families and children at the US-Mexican border.”
The news comes after anger has intensified following an opinion piece written by Clarkson about Meghan, in which he described “dreaming of the day” in which she would be made to parade naked through Britain while the crowd chanted “shame” and threw “excrement” at her.
He added that “everyone who’s my age thinks the same way”.
The Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) confirmed that it had received over 17,500 complaints about the presenter’s column, more than the total it received in 2021.
More than 60 cross-party MPs have written to The Sun’s editor to demand an apology and “action taken” against Clarkson. The SNP’s shadow culture minister also called for Clarkson to be banned from TV altogether.
Other critics included Clarkson’s own daughter Emily, who has previously spoken out against online misogyny and harassment, the First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and Jeremy Corbyn.
The Sun has now removed the comment piece from its website. “In light of Jeremy Clarkson’s tweet he has asked us to take last week’s column down,” the page now reads.
His comments come days after the second and final instalment of the Netflix series Harry and Meghan, in which the couple talk frankly about the impact of media intrusion and coverage of their lives.
In a tearful plea, Meghan can be seen despairing at the vitriol directed at her by both the media and online trolls. “You’re making people want to kill me,” she says.
“It’s not just a tabloid. It’s not just some story. You are making me scared. Are my babies safe? And you’ve created it… for what? Are you bored? It sells your papers? Or makes you feel better about your own life? It’s real what you’re doing. And that’s the piece I don’t think people fully understand.”
