Ex-senior royal Meghan Markle is reportedly distancing herself from her best friend who has become embroiled in an online scandal.
Jessica Mulroney - a Canadian stylist who is said to be Markle's best friend - recently got into a private row with Instagram influencer Sasha Exeter. Exeter, in an 12-minute video posted on Thursday, said Mulroney took offence to a call to action for influencers to use their voice to help Black Lives Matter and, according to Exeter, sent her a message threatening her livelihood.
Mulroney has since apologised, saying Exeter "rightfully called me out for not doing enough when it came to engaging in the important difficult conversation around race and injustice to our society".
"I took it personally and that was wrong. I know I need to do better".
She said she never intended to "jeopardise" Exeter's livelihood.
The stylist has had her reality television show pulled and will no longer contribute to Good Morning America.
But it's not just television show producers distancing themselves from Mulroney. According to The Daily Mail, close friends of Markle said the Duchess isn't impressed.
"Meghan is absolutely mortified that she's been dragged into this complete mess. 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 Mail reports.
"Meghan said friends reflect friends and because of what's at stake she can no longer be associated with Jessica, at least not in public. She has to do what she has to do in order to preserve her dignity and her own reputation."
Markle, who recently with her husband Prince Harry stepped back from senior royal duties to move to the United States, is known for social activism. Earlier this month, the Duchess of Sussex said what was happening in the US was "absolutely devastating". The nation has seen widespread protests following the death of African-American man George Floyd, who had his neck kneeled upon for nearly nine minutes while being arrested.
"I wasn't sure what I could say to you. I wanted to say the right thing and I was really nervous that it would get picked apart," Markle said.
"And I realised the only wrong thing to say is to say nothing.
"George Floyd's life mattered and Breonna Taylor's life mattered and Philando Castile's life mattered and Tamir Rice's life mattered... and so did so many other people whose names we know and whose names we do not know."
Mulroney's show I do, Redo, was taken off-air after broadcaster CTV released a statement saying it encouraged "our on-air talent to practise respect, inclusivity, and allyship as we pledge to work better and more openly to listen to and amplify Black voice and not to minimise them".
"Because recent conduct by one of our shows hosts, Jessica Mulroney, conflicts with our commitment to diversity and equality, CTV has removed I do, Redo from all Bell Media channels and platforms effective immediately."
Mulroney and her husband Ben attended Markle's wedding to Prince Harry. Their children were among the page boys and flower girls.
