Rob Rinder has lashed out at Harry and Meghan’s controversial human rights award on Good Morning Britain today ahead of the couple’s upcoming Netflix documentary.
Judge Rinder criticised the pair for their lack of ‘humility’ in accepting the award when there were so many people more deserving of a human rights award.
Harry and Meghan will be presented with the Ripple of Hope Award later today for taking a ‘heroic stance’ against the ‘structural racism’ of the royal family by the Robert F Kennedy Human Rights Association.
Speaking on ITV this morning, Rob Rinder rubbished the idea the California-based couple should be recognised for a contribution to human rights for their criticism of the royal family.
Speaking about Harry and Meghan he said: ‘The thing that strikes me is – just have a little bit of humility.
‘I’m certainly no Dalai Lama, but you think of people who have spent their lives campaigning for human rights – Baroness Doreen Laurence, Kwajo [Tweneboa] who works in housing, the women of Iran who are fighting for freedom at the moment, ordinary citizens in China.
Harry and Meghan will receive a human rights award for a ‘heroic stance’ against racism
The California-based couple’s controversial Netflix documentary is set to be released later this week
‘The idea that you… would go and collect a human rights award for taking lots of money to gripe at your family and in my view not really do anything meaningful to expose structural racism, but rather instead damage an institution.
‘For example, yesterday we had Joan Armatrading in our studio and one of the questions we didn’t ask her was the work that she did for the Prince’s Trust and how valued she felt.
‘Now, that’s worthy of a human rights award.
‘Surely what you would do is you have the profound and clear and honest humility as a human being to know that there are real people out there who you should accept the award for on their behalf, given the real human rights work they do.
‘You can tell I feel quite passionate about this, because the idea I or anybody else here would accept a human rights award given what is going on around our globe, strikes me at the very least – to use the language of that world – problematic.’
Co-host Susanna Reid countered that Harry and Meghan had been under intense pressure from the media for years.
She said: ‘Of course there’s justification. I see your argument, Rob.’
‘But what I am trying to say, the point I am trying to make, is that if you’re involved in a news story, press photographers will be outside your house. I understand they are royals, but it can be a pretty horrible experience.
Meghan is seen looking worried as the Sussexes’ lawyer, Jenny Afia, tells the camera: ‘There was a war against Meghan to support other people’s agendas’
Prince Harry describes life in the Royal Family as a ‘dirty game’ in his new Netflix trailer
King Charles and Prince William are set to hold crisis talks as they prepare to put on a united front when the Sussexes’ Netflix documentary airs next week
‘I think a lot of people watching don’t realise it can be a pretty horrible experience.
Harry and Meghan’s Netflix documentary is set to be released shortly after receiving their human rights award.
The show has already stirred up controversy after a trailer released yesterday showed allies claiming there was a ‘war on Meghan’ by the media, who had allegedly been targeted with leaks and planted stories.
Harry added in the trailer: ‘It’s a dirty game.’
However, royal sources have insisted it was ‘absolutely wrong’ to suggest Harry and Meghan had been briefed against and ‘unprecedented steps’ had been taken to support them.
The King and Queen Consort were reported last week to be ‘wearied’ by the repeated attacks on the monarchy by Harry and Meghan, who have consistently claimed they have been unfairly treated by other members of the Royal Family.
The Prince and Princess of Wales were ‘surprised but not that surprised’ that the first trailer for the series was released during their high-profile visit to the US, threatening to overshadow it, insiders added.
William and Kate attended the Earthshot Awards while in the US when the documentary was announced, meeting celebrities including David Beckham and Remi Malek while championing innovative climate change solutions.
The King and Prince William are now said to be preparing crisis talks to respond to any unfounded claims that may be included in the Netflix show.
Amid the ongoing controversy, a new poll for Mail+ found that just two per cent of the British public think Harry and Meghan should be allowed to keep their royal titles as the rift between the pair and the Royal Family continues to grow.
