George Clooney slams 'frustrating' coverage of Meghan Markle, compares it to treatment of Princess Diana
Actor, businessman and activist George Clooney has seen enough.
Speaking on a panel for his new show, "Catch-22," he took time out Monday to comment on the "frustrating" media coverage he's witness lately with Meghan Markle, the now Duchess of Sussex.
When asked about him being godfather to her upcoming child, Clooney denied the report, but added, "She's a woman who is seven months pregnant and she is being pursued and vilified and chased in the same way that [Princess] Diana was, and it's history repeating itself," according to the Associated Press, who was at the Television Critics Association panel on Monday.
Clooney, who did attend Markel's wedding to Prince Harry last year with his wife Amal, was referring to Diana's death in 1997 after she was being pursued by paparazzi and her car was trying to evade them.
Clooney added about Diana's death and the now coverage of Markle, "we've seen how that ends."
She's a woman who is seven months pregnant and she is being pursued and vilified and chased in the same way that (Princess) Diana was, and it's history repeating itself.
"I can't tell you how frustrating it is to see that," he added, according to E! News and other outlets at the panel. "She's getting a raw deal there. It's irresponsible."
Clooney's comments come after British tabloids have labeled Markle "Duchess Difficult," several also reporting on a private letter from her to her estranged father, as well.
The actor added about being godfather to her baby, "No, I'm now a father of twins, I've got enough."
Clooney is not the only public figure to speak out about what's happening.
Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson also weighed in, sharing similar sentiments of concern, though not directly connecting the online bullying to the Duchess of Sussex and Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge. Ferguson wrote a candid letter in Hello! magazine on Monday, taking aim at what she calls the “sewer” of social media.
“It’s time to confront head on the fact that much of social media has become a sewer,” she wrote. "Women, in particular, are constantly pitted against and compared with each other in a way that reminds me of how people tried to portray Diana and me all the time as rivals, which is something neither of us ever really felt."
Certainly there are parallels between the relationship that Kate and Meghan have and Diana and Fergie had.
"She absolutely is referring to the treatment of Meghan and Kate," royal contributor Imogen Lloyd Webber told “GMA.” "Certainly there are parallels between the relationship that Kate and Meghan have and Diana and Fergie had.”
Also, a handful of Markle's closest friends spoke out to People magazine recently about the "global bullying."
“We worry about what this is doing to her and the baby,” a former co-star of Markle's said. ”It’s wrong to put anyone under this level of emotional trauma, let alone when they’re pregnant.”
