Meghan Markle ‘wants to engage with people not phones’, say Palace in desperate bid to defuse Wimbledon pics row
MEGHAN Markle wants to "engage with people, not phones", a Palace insider has claimed after her security team tried to stop tennis fans from taking pictures of her at Wimbledon.
The Duchess of Sussex made a surprise appearance on Court 1 last week to watch pal Serena Williams along with friends Genevieve Hillis and Lindsay Roth.
While Kensington Palace declined to comment, a royal source said: "It's not uncommon for personal protection officers accompanying any members of the Royal Family to ask people not to take pictures so they can engage with people and events rather than camera phones."
And the alleged request left Good Morning Britain host Piers Morgan seeing red as he accused Meghan of hypocrisy on today's Good Morning Britain.
The outspoken GMB host ranted: "If you go to Wimbledon in your free tickets in the Royal Box, the best seats in the house for nothing, and you take your two bezzies... you're public people.
"If you want to be private, go back to America and live privately."
And when co-host Susanna Reid said she was sympathetic over the Royals requests for privacy, Piers exploded: "In the Royal Box at Wimbledon. With the world's cameras beamed on their heads.
"It's not a private place. If you want to be private don't go to the Royal Box at Wimbledon.
"Honestly, it's a complete joke. You've got to work out what you want to be - do you want to be public or private?"
He further slammed Meghan and Prince Harry's "obsession" with privacy, adding: "It's frankly hypocritical and they're not private people, they're the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. We get to pay for their mansion, we get to do all of this."
Honestly, it's a complete joke. You've got to work out what you want to be - do you want to be public or private?
Piers Morgan
It comes as Ms Jones revealed in her column that she was "happily snapping" photos of Serena Williams when she was asked to stop taking photos of Meghan.
She wrote: "Watching Serena Williams in action on Court 1 at Wimbledon, I was happily snapping shots of the superstar American powering down huge serves when I felt a tap on my shoulder.
"Would you not take photographs of the Duchess,' a voice ordered politely. 'She’s here in a private capacity.'
"No wonder there is a growing tide of resentment against the Sussexes for their secretive, high maintenance attitude and diva-ish demands for privacy when it suits them - despite the eye-wateringly expensive, taxpayer-funded refit of Frogmore Cottage."
And the 64-year-old later slammed the heavy-handed security, saying it was "childish" and that it "(took) us for fools".
EMPTY SEATS
Four rows were kept empty surrounding the former Suits actress, who was surrounded by protection officers, while VIPs were reportedly left to queue outside.
At one point, a fan appeared to be taking a photo of the duchess - but photos show he is posing for a selfie in front of the court. A protection officer was later seen speaking to the tennis fan.
Meghan's outfit for the day out also drew some criticism as she donned jeans with a white jacket and hat. She also wore a sweet necklace with the letter A for Archie on it.
Her seats, in the exclusive members' section, normally has a dress code banning denim.
The All England Club declined to comment, saying she was "perfectly well dressed" for the event.
Despite Piers' rant, the 37-year-old royal had not been in the Royal Box but instead in a VIP section to watch Serena William play on Court One.
Meghan Markle sat surrounded by friends as she watched pal Serena Williams
PUSH FOR PRIVACY
It comes after Meghan and Harry held a private christening for their son Archie at Windsor Castle last weekend amid a blaze of controversy.
The new parents chose to withhold the names of the godparents of the seventh in line to the throne and only release pictures to the media afterwards.
Critics were unimpressed with the decision, pointing to recent news that the couple spent £2.4m of taxpayers' money refurbishing their Frogmore Cottage home.
Their five-bedroom property — a gift from the Queen — is said to have required a “substantial overhaul” before they were able to move in, including new heating, wiring and utilities.
And the Sun understands it has been Harry pushing to keep all details kept private.
A source close to the couple said: “People might think Meghan responsible for this whole privacy thing but it is Harry leading the charge. He wants Archie to be a private citizen in every way possible.”
Kate Middleton and Prince William attended the christening over the weekend - despite rumours of a rift between the couples, with the Sussexes recently splitting from the joint charity with the Cambridges.
In the official family photo, Kate and Wills looked awkward with the Duchess of Cambridge said to appear "ready to flee" according to one body language expert.
The rumoured feud between the two couples has even seen the Palace deliberately try to avoid “diary clashes” between Harry, Meghan, William and Kate to prevent “competition”, a royal author has claimed.
And Meghan's reported insistence on privacy is in stark contrast to Kate's appearance at Wimbledon on day two.
The tennis fan shunned the Royal Box for seats on Court 14 - sticking to the player's dress code of white and chatting cheerfully with friends.
'HAPPY FOR FREEBIES'
Piers' rant over Meghan's Wimbledon appearance left GMB viewers divided this morning, with many saying they agreed with him.
One wrote on social media: "She’s happy to get the freebies for the likes of the Tennis for her and her buddies. I noticed she wore her hat the other day after being told she couldn’t last year in the royal box!!"
Another added: "I thought she was on maternity leave? Or it that when it suits her?"
Another viewer said they felt like Meghan and Harry's push for privacy had backfired, pointing out: "I feel Meghan is fighting for privacy to actually get more attention as there seems to be a lot written and said about her and Harry and the baby. If she wants privacy it’s not really working."
But others were less than impressed with Piers.
One viewer wrote on Twitter: "You didn’t get an invite to the wedding & you have behaved in a spiteful and unseemly manner since. Get over it and leave her alone."
Another added: "Pity you don't join her!!"
A third added: "She was watching the tennis from court 1, there isn’t a royal box on court 1 so Piers got is wrong, she as sat with every one else in the ‘cheep seats’"
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