EDEN CONFIDENTIAL: Why top U.S. writer Michael R. Jackson is ‘sceptical’ of Sussex royal racism claims
The Royal Family were not the only ones who were shocked by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s incendiary claims of racism against them.
Celebrated American playwright Michael R. Jackson says the allegations made by the couple in their explosive interview with chat-show host Oprah Winfrey left him full of doubts.
‘On one level, I could feel sorry for them, but I’m also sceptical of some of their claims,’ Jackson tells me.
The couple alleged that an unnamed royal had expressed ‘concerns’ about ‘how dark’ the skin colour of their first child would be, while Meghan was pregnant with Archie.
‘I found that interview to be profoundly frustrating,’ says Jackson, whose award-winning musical, A Strange Loop, has transferred from Broadway to the Barbican in London. The show grapples with racism in the U.S. ‘When you’re talking about something as important as racism, you need to be specific,’ he says, referring to the Sussexes’ interview.
He adds: ‘They seem to always be saying a lot, but very little at the same time . . . maybe they’re afraid.’
RICHARD EDEN: Celebrated American playwright Michael R. Jackson says the allegations made by the couple in their explosive interview with chat-show host Oprah Winfrey left him full of doubts
RICHARD EDEN: ‘On one level, I could feel sorry for them, but I’m also sceptical of some of their claims,’ Jackson tells me
After their interview with Oprah in 2021, Queen Elizabeth issued a statement which included the memorable phrase that ‘recollections may vary’ when it came to their racism claims.
The Princess of Wales is said to have been even ‘steelier’ than Prince William in helping to devise the robust Buckingham Palace response, according to royal correspondent Valentine Low, in the paperback edition of his book, Courtiers. William’s anger at the claims was evident when he was asked about them in public afterwards. ‘We are very much not a racist family,’ he told a TV reporter.
Jackson’s comments follow a string of recent public criticism of the California-based couple. Last month, Meghan was dismissed as a talentless broadcaster by one of Hollywood’s most powerful figures.
Jeremy Zimmer gave his withering verdict after streaming giant Spotify axed its £18 million deal with her and Harry. The chief executive of United Talent Agency, said he was not surprised that Spotify had ditched the couple.
‘Turns out Meghan Markle was not a great audio talent, or necessarily any kind of talent,’ he said.
Meghan Markle failed to make it big in Hollywood, but that has not deterred another royal from setting his heart on stardom.
I hear that Prince Achileas-Andreas of Greece and Denmark, whose sister Princess Olympia is King Charles’s goddaughter, has landed his first role in a feature film.
He is the grandson of King Constantine of Greece, a relation of Prince Philip, who was exiled from the country following the 1967 coup.
The aspiring actor, 22, who goes by the professional name Achi Miller, joins Oscar-winner Jennifer Lawrence in her racy new film, No Hard Feelings, in which her character tries to seduce a neighbour. ‘Proud of playing a small role in something so special,’ Achi says.
He is using the maiden name of his London-born mother, Marie-Chantal Miller, who married Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece.
Achi, who grew up in the capital and studied at Wellington College in Berkshire, is going out with fashion royalty: his girlfriend is Bella Massenet, daughter of Net-a-Porter founder Dame Natalie Massenet.
RICHARD EDEN: I hear that Prince Achileas-Andreas of Greece and Denmark, whose sister Princess Olympia is King Charles’s goddaughter, has landed his first role in a feature film.
Made In Chelsea star Kimberley Garner is revving up her love life.
The property developer’s daughter, 32, turned up to the Grand Prix Ball at the Hurlingham Club in Fulham, West London, with a mysterious new boyfriend she will name only as ‘Andreas’. She explains of their romance: ‘It’s very, very new.’
Andreas works in finance and tells me he misses the ‘crazy’ ‘no-budget’ nights out before the 2008 financial crash.
‘Those were the good days,’ he jokes. ‘You can’t do it these days without HR — they took the fun away.’
RICHARD EDEN: The property developer’s daughter, 32, turned up to the Grand Prix Ball at the Hurlingham Club in Fulham, West London, with a mysterious new boyfriend she will name only as ‘Andreas’
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has carried out many wedding ceremonies, but one this week brought him particular joy.
I hear he officiated at the marriage of the husband of murdered MP Jo Cox, who was killed seven years ago.
Brendan Cox, 44, exchanged vows with domestic violence campaigner Anna Ryder, 37, on Tuesday at Lambeth Palace. Cox asked permission from his two children before marrying again.
He said Cuillin, 12, and Lejla, ten, were delighted at the news, as he admitted he ‘never thought’ he would find love again, adding: ‘I am incredibly lucky that I have.’
RICHARD EDEN: Brendan Cox, 44, exchanged vows with domestic violence campaigner Anna Ryder, 37, on Tuesday at Lambeth Palace
If Fiona Bruce goes on like this, she could get a reputation for being biased against the Tories.
I hear the Question Time presenter has broken BBC rules for the second time in five months.
After investigating a complaint about an episode in January, the Corporation admitted this week that she misled viewers by falsely claiming a graph proved there had been a ‘dramatic’ drop in NHS funding. In fact, it showed funding had increased every year bar one.
‘The Executive Complaints Unit judged this section of the programme to have fallen short of the BBC’s standards for due accuracy, and upheld the complaint in that respect,’ it says. In February, it found that Bruce broke BBC rules after she inaccurately claimed the audience wanted an immediate general election.
RICHARD EDEN: If Fiona Bruce goes on like this, she could get a reputation for being biased against the Tories
Just days after I disclosed that Sting’s child Eliot Sumner had split up with society model Frankie Herbert, there is some cheering news for The Police star’s family.
I hear that Sting’s daughter, Fuschia Sumner, has got engaged. The actress, 41, is to wed Maximilian Wright.
‘Super in love, super engaged, super happy,’ is all Fuschia will say. Max has given her an impressive oval-cut diamond ring.
Fuschia’s mother is Frances Tomelty, 74, the Northern Irish actress who was married to Sting until 1984. They separated after the singer’s affair with actress Trudie Styler, who ‘just happened’ to be Tomelty’s best friend.
RICHARD EDEN: I hear that Sting’s daughter, Fuschia Sumner, has got engaged. The actress, 41, is to wed Maximilian Wright
Bill Wyman quit the Rolling Stones in 1992, but he still lives life in the fast lane.
The bass guitarist, 86, reveals that he’s been repeatedly fined for speeding in zones with a 20mph limit. ‘I have been done twice for doing 22mph and 26mph,’ Wyman wails. ‘I have paid fines and have had three points on my licence — the same if you do 105mph on a motorway. I mean, speeding at 22mph?
‘That is the sad part of what is going on in London at the moment and it causes more congestion, more pollution.’
He’s offered compelling insights into the commercial machinations and personal foibles of everyone from Sir David Tang to Lord Lucan.
But, at 83, entrepreneur Algy Cluff is venturing into new literary territory — keeping a diary. At the Turf Club for the launch of his fifth volume of observational memoirs, The Importance Of Being Algy, he explains that he’s ‘exhausted his anecdotal reservoir’, so a diary will enable him to fulfil his ambition of writing a book a year.
Cluff, who later this month welcomes Princess Anne to Dover in his role as chairman of the Remembrance Trust, tells me that he’ll be regularly ricocheting back and forth to Africa, with ‘a team of people — we’ve been asked to construct a plant to make batteries, using lithium’.
No danger of a cocoa-and-slippers diary from Algy.
Dining at one of Simon Rimmer’s restaurants sounds like a memorable experience. ‘One of my chefs sort of said, ‘If you go out to eat, if it doesn’t make you want to have sex at the end of it, it’s not been a good meal’,’ says Sunday Brunch star Rimmer.
‘It’s about feeling that, ‘Wow, that was a sensual experience and I want that to continue’. For me, having a salad and a glass of sparkling mineral water in a restaurant … it’s not doing it for me at all.’
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