CNN has been accused of censoring its own report on "inconsistencies" in Meghan Markle's bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey.
The network's London reporter Max Foster debunked some of the duchess's claims on air 18 days after her explosive chat with Oprah.
? Read our Meghan and Harry live blog for the latest updates
Foster revealed that Royal Family staffers had gone out of their way to accomodate Meghan after her marriage to Prince Harry.
It was also mentioned for the first time that the Queen had sent two of her closest confidantes – her dresser Angela Kelly and lady in waiting Susan Hussey – to help Meghan prepare for her new life.
Foster's report, titled "Royal Reckoning: Inconsistencies in Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's bombshell interview", criticised seven of Meghan's claims.
He said: "Whether or not you're Team Sussex, it's hard to argue against the profound issues raised by the Oprah Winfrey interview, especially around suicide prevention and confronting racism, wherever it may live."
However, he then added that "critics of the couple are pointing to inconsistencies in the tell-all".
'HIDDEN FROM VIEW'
Video of the segment was later reportedly deleted from CNN's website, and was never mentioned on air again.
A US media insider told the MailOnline: "The CNN report was the first instance a left-leaning US outlet came forward to negate a lot of what the Sussexes said. It felt like a real turning point here.
"However, it seems that CNN has gone to great lengths to make the report close to impossible to find online.
"The original link now leads to the CNN homepage, even though there are pages on pages of positive written coverage of the Sussexes when you search for them.
"Max Foster's original report has had the headline and description removed from it online, which means it is impossible to search for.
"That seems like an unusual clanger from such a respected global news site, especially when Meghan is still one of the most googled people in the world.
SEVEN CLAIMS CHALLENGED BY CNN REPORT
- Foster challenged Meghan's decision to take part in an interview with Oprah Winfrey and CBS given the Sussex's earlier pledge to work with "grassroots media organisations".
- Meghan claimed she had never looked Harry up online, despite a friend saying she was "fascinated by the Royal Family" and wanted to be "Princess Diana 2.0".
- Meghan claimed her and Harry had been married three days before their official ceremony – however this was debunked by the marriage certificate.
- There were "holiday parties at the Palace" – but reports claimed they had "no memory of such parties".
- Meghan told Oprah she had been "silenced" by the Royal Family, but Foster reported that "Palace insiders will point to many occasions that show that Meghan was allowed a voice, they say, particularly on feminist issues". Foster also quoted a junior member of Meghan's staff, who had left the Palace, saying: 'They bent over backwards as far as I could see. I think there was complete hospitality and kindness and grace." A Royal source added: "The Queen's senior team were directed to avail themselves to ensure she had all the support needed."
- Meghan claimed she wasn't given proper training on how to be a Royal, but Foster reported that two of the Queen's closest aides gave her advice and guidance.
- The duchess claimed that the Royals didn't want her son Archie to have a title. However, Foster reported that protocol issued by King George V meant that Archie couldn't be given a princely title. Archie would automatically become a prince when Charles becomes king.
An insider at CNN reportedly said deleting the segment online would not have been "due to any outside pressure or request".
The segment contained seven key critiques of Meghan's Oprah interview, including choosing CBS to broadcast the chat despite having earlier pleged to work with "grassroots media organisations".
Foster also said the duchess's claim that she had never looked Harry up online was disputed by one of her friends having previously said that she was "fascinated by the Royal Family" and aspired to be "Princess Diana 2.0".
Claims that Meghan was actually officially married to Harry three days before the formal ceremony were debunked by Foster using a story by The Sun.
Another claim that the Royal Family didn't want her son Archie to have a title was also challenged in the report.
Source: Read Full Article