Meghan and Harry interview shines light on ‘grubby institution’ of monarchy, campaigners say amid calls for abolition

Royal ‘air of mystery’ cannot be maintained, say republicans

Anti-monarchy campaigners have called for an "open, honest" debate about the future of the monarchy following bombshell revelations in Meghan Markle and Prince Harry interview with Oprah Winfrey.

The royal family has been rocked by several damaging claims, including allegations of racism, by the Sussexes in Sunday night's broadcast.

The interview has "thrown the light of day on the grubby institution" of monarchy and how it functions, said Graham Smith, chief executive of the campaign group Republic, which launched a petition calling for the abolition of the monarchy on Monday.

The republican pressure group called for the future of the British royal family to be brought into public discussion following the interview as people get "a much clearer picture of what the monarchy is really like."

"We now need honesty in the monarchy debate that has been sorely lacking until now. Honesty about the democratic alternative, honesty about royal corruption, honesty about costs, tourism and every other bit of nonsense trotted out by royalists for years," Mr Smith said.

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"The monarchy has just been hit by its worst crisis since the abdication in 1936. Whether for the sake of Britain or for the sake of the younger royals this rotten institution needs to go.

"Some people will say 'well you would say that', but this interview has only served to highlight what a lot of people have known for years: the monarchy is rotten to the core and does not reflect British values."

Labour for a Republic, an anti-monarchy group made up of Labour Party members, said the interview served as further proof the royals are "not better" than ordinary members of the public.

"The monarchy has always thrived on an air of mystery that just cannot be maintained in this age of the media," Ken Ritchie, the group's spokesperson told The Independent, "It is simply more likely that things like this are going to come out."

Similar calls were made on social media in the aftermath of the interview, with #AbolishTheMonarchy trending in the US along with the UK.

One Democratic US congressman, Mondaire Jones, tweeted support for the Duchess of Sussex for “bringing down an entire empire”.

Meghan McCain, co-host of The View and daughter of late Senator and 2008 Republican presidential candidate John McCain, tweeted: "Monarchy has been an archaic and toxic concept since 1776."

International media was rife with speculation over the damage incurred to the monarchy by the revelations. One French newspaper, Liberation, said the royal family was a "trap", a “bottomless well from which it is impossible to escape”, and a “golden prison”.

Australian paper The Sydney Morning Herald said the interview portrayed the royal family as “cold-hearted racists” and France's Le Monde said the episode meant “a new crisis” for the monarchy.