Disgust as Charlie Hebdo depicts Queen kneeling on Meghan Markle's neck like George Floyd
CHARLIE Hebdo has sparked fury after publishing a cover featuring a caricature of the Queen kneeling on Meghan Markle's neck, in a shocking recreation of George Floyd's death in the US last year.
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The front cover of the latest issue of the French satirical magazine shows a headline that says "Why Meghan left Buckingham...", with her replying "because I couldn't breathe anymore" when translated into English. It comes days after Meghan claimed a member of the Royal Family made a racist comment about her son Archie's skin during her bombshell interview with Oprah. It has since emerged that it was not the Queen or Prince Philip who made the comment.
Mr Floyd's death sparked backlash around the world last May when Derek Chauvin, a white Minneapolis police officer, kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes.
His death resulted in Black Lives Matter protests taking place around the world.
Dr Halima Begum, the CEO of anti-racism think tank the Runnymede Trust, said the image of the Queen and Meghan was 'wrong on every level'.
She tweeted: "#CharlieHebdo, this is wrong on every level. The Queen as #GeorgeFloyd's murderer crushing Meghan's neck? #Meghan saying she's unable to breathe? This doesnt push boundaries, make anyone laugh or challenge #racism. It demeans the issues & causes offence, across the board."
Campaign group Windrush Anchor posted: "A poor and ill-conceived response from #CharlieHebdo which if anything inflames the issue. This brand of simplistic satire has no place in the fight against racism. Utterly appalling and deeply saddening."
Meghan, whose mother is Black and father is white, said her son Archie, who turns two in May, had been denied the title of prince because there were concerns within the royal family "about how dark his skin might be when he's born".
Oprah asked Meghan: "Do you think it's because of his race? I know that's a loaded question."
Meghan replied: "I can give you an honest answer.
"In those months when I was pregnant, all around this same time, so we (had) the conversation of he won't be given security, he's not going to be given a title.
"And also concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he's born."
Harry also said in the interview he did not know where to turn when he was faced with critical media coverage and felt hurt when his family failed to call out racist reporting.
He claimed the Royal Family had an unhealthy silent agreement with the British tabloids and that the family was paranoid about the media turning on them.
Harry said: "There is a level of control by fear that has existed for generations."
Buckingham Palace issued a statement last week saying that issues raised in the interview, including the allegation of racism, were "concerning", and said that the matter would be dealt with privately.
Prince William also denied his family were racist when he was asked during a visit to a school in east London earlier this week.
Charlie Hebdo has sparked anger in the past with its satirical cartoons.
In January 2015, the magazine published images of the prophet Muhammad, which resulted in 12 people dying in a terror attack.
Brothers Saad and Cherif Kouachi armed with Kalashnikovs attacked the magazine's Paris headquarters.
They were seen shouting "the prophet is avenged" as they stormed the offices.
They claimed the publication used blasphemy to stir up hatred against Muslims around the world.
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