For anyone who is still wondering why Prince Harry and Meghan Markle decided to step down as members of the royal family, this clip from MSNBC should be quite illuminating.
During a segment on MSNBC Live, Victoria Mather, a reporter for the British platform Air Mail, commented that Markle (a successful actress and the first Black member of the royal family) was "five clicks up from trailer trash."
You can watch the segment here.
@DrJasonJohnson, @ElieNYC Yo Fellas, check this S#it out!!! https://t.co/acJsD4V1OA— Jules Vincent (@Jules Vincent) 1583583455.0
@MSNBC did she just say that Meghan, Harry’s wife was 5 ticks up from trailer trash??????— Cherese J. (@Cherese J.) 1583582502.0
On the show, Mather commented:
"I think what has really, really upset the British public is that Meghan Markle, who many people consider as only, you know, five clicks up from trailer trash, has actually tried to disrespect the queen. And the queen is the most respected person, most respected woman, in the world."
@msnbc @VanityFair I just watch the most racist classist garbage come out of the mouth of Vanity Fair’s Victoria Ma… https://t.co/02lZy6mCzY— Meek Inherit Earth (@Meek Inherit Earth) 1583584392.0
Mather continues to identify herself online as a Travel Editor at Vanity Fair despite the fact that she no longer works at that company.
Vanity Fair's parent company issued a statement shortly after the interview revealing Mather hadn't worked there since 2018.
The reporter also did not correct the MSNBC anchor during her introduction as a "royals watcher" for Vanity Fair.
@JulesVincent13 @DrJasonJohnson @ElieNYC Shame @MSNBC. My professors at @mujschool are shaking their heads. You can… https://t.co/Dudg4uzJMW— Jack Epstein (@Jack Epstein) 1583588245.0
The interview has received widespread condemnation online, and the MSNBC anchor was quick to end the interview after the comment was made.
@NBCNews you ought to be ashamed for that nbc news london interview... calling her just a step above trailer trash… https://t.co/dNItztZMpa— Frank D Williams, MPA (@Frank D Williams, MPA) 1583582406.0
Mather has written negatively about Markle during her time at Air Mail as well, referencing her as "trailer trash" and the "Duchess of Excess."
At one point, she wrote:
"As for the reported feud between the duchesses, that was a story waiting to happen. Catherine comes from a stable, close-knit family. Meghan comes from a sadly dysfunctional family, leading to her being unpleasantly trolled as trailer trash."
Twitter was quick to insist that Mather's time on the air come to an end.
@tinabop29 Time to retire Victoria Mathers— JRockBailey (@JRockBailey) 1583630691.0
@MSNBC THANK YOU for ending that interview! I’m so highly offended by the racist overtones & her calling Megan 5 Cl… https://t.co/UAmgbpyqN7— World Media Group (Monique) (@World Media Group (Monique)) 1583582485.0
@tinabop29 As far as I am concerned MSNBC should apologize. They put her on the air. They must have known what she… https://t.co/9fICgNK8S1— Fifi (@Fifi) 1583645631.0
@MSNBC What did I just hear? Racist #VictoriaMather just said Meghan Markle was five clicks up from trailer trash.… https://t.co/FZ6EVzcTzj— s.m.gaines (@s.m.gaines) 1583583758.0
Aiming such an insult at ANY person, let alone a member of the royal family, is an incredibly degrading thing to do, and any reporter who trades in such rhetoric shouldn't be welcome in the mainstream media.