English broadcaster Jeremy Clarkson has unleashed on Meghan Markle, predicting that within five years she will be "sitting on the back of a playboy's yacht" and that her interview with Oprah Winfrey won't bring down the monarchy.
Nearly two weeks on from Meghan's tell-all sit down with Winfrey, and British tabloids still can't get enough.
Clarkson, the out-spoken TV presenter, has now given his thoughts in a new column for The Sun, writing that despite all the chat about how the interview may permanently damage the monarchy's reputation, he expects it will survive.
Of particular note from the interview was Meghan's allegation that someone within the royal institution questioned what colour skin her and Prince Harry's child may have, sparking claims of racism against The Firm. Meghan also said that she wasn't supported during her time in the UK, leading her to have suicidal thoughts.
"[Meghan] is much revered by the young and the stupid who believe that her brand of simpering victimhood will one day bring down the monarchy, but it won’t," he writes in the opinion piece.
Clarkson goes on to highlight that the British monarchy has persevered for centuries, with kings beheaded and queens executed. There have been affairs and abdications, and still it survives.
"It even managed to survive George III, who was so mad, he once spoke nonsense for 58 hours straight. This is a man who let America have its independence, and who once shook hands with a tree believing it to be the King of Prussia," Clarkson says.
"And if the British monarchy can soldier on through that, I’m fairly sure it’ll be able to weather the banal musings of a silly little cable TV actress."
He says that Meghan has fallen out of grace with the majority of her family and "probably everyone in the entire world with an IQ more than 32".
Following their television appearance, Meghan and Harry's likeability was tested in a new poll from YouGov.
It found 45 percent of Brits had a positive view of him and 48 percent saw him negatively, giving him a netscore of -3, down 15 points since the start of March. Meghan's net rating was -27, down 14.
The survey found most aged between 18 and 24 liked Meghan and Harry, and that despite the so-called bombshells of the hyped-up Oprah interview, the reputation of the other royals hadn't changed. Only Prince Charles saw his popularity drop noticeably.
In his column, Clarkson questions what the alternative to the monarchy is, pointing readers to the United States as an example of how a presidency works out.
"In my lifetime alone, they’ve included a philanderer, a liar, a lying philanderer, a man who kept falling over, a moron, Donald Trump and a mumbling pensioner who keeps falling asleep."
He says Markle is "toast" and that within five years "I suspect she’ll be posing for photographs, on her own outside the Taj Mahal or sitting on the back of a playboy’s yacht in the Med".
Clarkson also expects Piers Morgan "will realise that he lost his job over absolutely nothing at all". Morgan left the Good Morning Britain show following the interview after saying he didn't believe Meghan's claim about feeling suicidal.
It later emerged that Meghan had complained to broadcaster ITV about Morgan's comments hours before his exit.
Since the interview, Buckingham Palace has released just one statement saying the whole royal family is "saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been".
"The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately.
"Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much-loved family members."
Prince William has also told media that his family isn't racist.
