Meghan Markle is not happy with best friend Jessica Mulroney after her high-profile spat with a black social media influencer, and a new report says that Markle plans to publicly distance herself from her pal.
As The Daily Mail reported, Markle was left “mortified” after Mulroney got into an online tiff with Sasha Exeter, a Canadian lifestyle vlogger and popular Instagram figure. In a message posted on Instagram, Exeter accused Mulroney of taking offense after she encouraged followers to speak up and show their support for the Black Lives Matter movement, believing the remark was directed at her. The matter escalated, with Mulroney reportedly leveling a threat to sue Exeter.
Exeter said in the clip that she was shocked Mulroney would threaten a single, black mother, but did not believe that Mulroney was racist.
“Listen, I am by no means calling Jess a racist but what I will say is this: She is very well aware of her wealth, her perceived power and privilege because of the color of her skin,” Exeter said. “And that, my friends, gave her the momentary confidence to come for my livelihood in writing. Textbook white privilege, really, in my personal opinion.”
Mulroney’s wedding reality series I Do Redo was dropped by Canadian network CTV in the wake of the scandal, and she was also ousted from her role as a fashion contributor to Good Morning America.
The incident also created a rift with Duchess Meghan, The Daily Mail’s report noted.
“Meghan is absolutely mortified that she’s been dragged into this complete mess,” a friend of the actress-turned-member-of-the-royal-family told the outlet. “She said Jessica is in no way a racist, but the way she handled the situation (with the fashion influencer) was tone-deaf and heartbreaking.”
The source went on to say that Markle believes she can no longer be publicly associated with Mulroney and is worried about preserving her own reputation.
As The Inquisitr reported, both Markle and Prince Harry have been seeking ways to more publicly support the Black Lives Matter movement and the protests that have arisen after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. The report noted that they have been speaking with community leaders and organizations but have kept their efforts private, not wanting to step into the spotlight for their work. Supporters have said that Markle herself has faced unfair and racially charged scrutiny in the U.K., especially from the press, because she is biracial.
