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The journalist who fronted the BBC’s controversial royal documentary once criticised its ‘utterly relentless, spirit-crushing monarchist propaganda’ and joked about ‘throwing a brick’ at Prince William and Kate, it emerged today.
Amol Rajan – the BBC journalist who presented The Princes And The Press – also previously condemned Prince Charles for ‘not being bright enough’ and said Philip ‘for all his faults, is also c**p at doing a tie knot’.
He slammed ‘sycophantic and shameless monarchist propaganda’, said the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s titles were ‘absurd’, and criticised Kate during her wedding for her ‘false royal wave’ which was ‘desperately sad’.
Rajan, 38, posted around 20 critical tweets about the royals over a period between March 2010 and January 2013 when he was working for The Independent newspaper, but before being appointed editor in June 2013.
The revelations will pile fresh pressure on the BBC over its handling of Rajan’s two-part documentary, which drew unprecedented censure from Buckingham Palace, Clarence House and Kensington Palace and bias accusations.
The tweets emerged after Rajan apologised on Twitter this morning for describing the public role of William and Kate as a ‘total fraud’ and calling Philip a ‘racist buffoon’ in articles written in 2012 for The Independent.
MailOnline sent all of Rajan’s old tweets to the BBC’s press office this afternoon, which said he wanted to make clear that his tweet apology ‘applies to all commentary – including tweets’. A BBC spokesman also told MailOnline: ‘Once journalists join the BBC, they leave past views at the door. Amol is an experienced BBC journalist who reports on all of the topics he covers in an impartial way and in line with the BBC’s editorial guidelines.’
Among the tweets was one posted on June 16, 2012 – the day of Trooping the Colour – when he said: ‘This utterly relentless, spirit-crushing monarchist propaganda on the BBC is making me ill. Need to watch some sport, quick.’
Another saw him reply to a tweet by his Independent colleague Rebecca Armstrong, who is now features editor at the i, on September 23, 2012 in which she said: ‘Watching a mad cat programme on Animal Planet. Couple have a mog sanctuary mansion with bazillions of cats. I may need a lie down after this.’ Rajan said in response: ‘Is that on Freeview? I’m about to throw a brick at Kate and Wills and would love a good cat sanctuary right now.’
It is not clear exactly what he was referring to, although Kate and William had just returned from visiting the Pacific island of Tuvalu at the time and Closer magazine in France had published topless photos of Kate a week earlier.
In a further tweet on October 22, 2010, Rajan wrote: ‘Prince Charles isn’t bright enough to realise the foundation of ethics is a refusal to accept nature’s cruel course. Not “harmony” with it!’
And on June 9, 2011, the day before Philip’s 90th birthday, Rajan tweeted: ‘The Duke of Edinburgh, for all his faults, is also c**p at doing a tie knot. That’s just not on.’ Then on March 8, 2012, he wrote: ‘Must we endure endless sycophantic and shameless monarchist propaganda this year? Ah. Yes. I’m thinking of T2 cover on Prince Harry.’
On November 28, 2012 he wrote: ‘OH NO! The absurdly titled Duke and Duchess of Cambridge enter Guildhall in Cambridge. I’m getting married there next year. Must reconsider.’ And during the Royal Wedding on April 29, 2011, he posted a series of tweets about how members of the wedding party were waving – including one saying: ‘Oh no… how desperately sad. Kate is doing the false royal wave too. I wish she waved like a Commoner #rw2011.’
In another on the same day, Rajan said: ‘I’ve got so much solidarity right now with the way Michael Middleton is clearly incapable of the royal wave. Let’s hear it for the oiks!’ In a third, Rajan tweeted: ‘Massively respect William for waving properly and naturally rather than in the absurd, stilted, false, condescending manner of other royals.’
The old tweets emerged after the Daily Mail revealed that Rajan had described the public role of William and Kate as a ‘total fraud’ and calling Philip a ‘racist buffoon’ in articles written in 2012 for The Independent.
Amol Rajan is the BBC’s media editor who presented The Princes And The Press, its recent controversial royal documentary
In response to the Daily Mail’s report, Rajan tweeted today: ‘In reference to very reasonable questions about some foolish commentary from a former life, I want to say I deeply regret it. I wrote things that were rude and immature and I look back on them now with real embarrassment, and ask myself what I was thinking, frankly…’
In a second tweet this morning, Rajan added: ‘I would like to say sorry for any offence they caused then or now. I’m completely committed to impartiality and hope our recent programmes can be judged on their merits.’
A source told MailOnline that Rajan had apologised ‘of his own accord’, rather than being forced into it by bosses.
In one open letter to William and Kate, written in December 2012 for The Independent, after the couple announced they were expecting their first child, the self-declared republican urged them to ‘renounce the luxuries of royal patronage and aristocracy’, claiming that ‘everyone will be a winner’ if they do.
Although Rajan congratulated the couple on the news of the pregnancy, he described their public role as a ‘total fraud’, adding: ‘Neither of you have a special claim on the glorious city of Cambridge so quit pretending you do’.
Rajan, who is now the BBC’s media editor, also suggested that rather than a ‘vast palace’, the duke and duchess should raise their family in a ‘decent suburban townhouse’ and should send their child to a ‘normal school’.
In other columns written for the newspaper at the time, the journalist said that Prince Philip was a ‘racist buffoon’ and described Prince Charles as ‘scientifically illiterate’.
He also blasted the Diamond Jubilee as a ‘celebration of mediocrity’ and said of the royals: ‘Aside from the Queen – whose public image is crafted by an ever-expanding team of propagandists – this clan is unusually full of fools.’
His apology comes after BBC director-general Tim Davie said last year that he would crack down on staff posting their views online to ensure impartiality, and staff could even be forced off Twitter if they fail to meet the ‘high bar’.
The royal households believe last month’s documentary contained a slew of unsubstantiated and categorically inaccurate accusations about collusion with the media, particularly in connection with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex during the tumultuous period of their decision to quit royal duties, dubbed ‘Megxit’.
The palaces were also said to be angered at the way many of the assertions made in the documentary aired on prime-time TV were permitted to go unquestioned by Rajan.
Critics said the series, which concluded this week, failed to challenge allegations made by supporters of the Sussexes, including Meghan’s lawyer Jenny Afia.
Amol Rajan – the BBC journalist who presented The Princes And The Press – made the incendiary remarks about William and Kate (pictured with Harry and Meghan in 2019) in articles written in 2012 for The Independent – the newspaper he edited
The Duchess of Cambridge visits the ‘Faberge in London’ exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London today
Photographs have emerged which show Amol Rajan at a cocktail party with a number of Meghan’s associates including one of her closest friends Misha Nonoo (pictured with Rajan)
Amol Rajan, the journalist who presented The Princes And The Press, today apologised for his comments in The Independent
Prince William was seen cheering on his beloved Aston Villa in their match against Manchester City at Villa Park last night
It came as photographs emerged yesterday showing Rajan at a cocktail party with a number of Meghan’s associates, including one of her closest friends, Misha Nonoo.
Meghan Markle with her friend Misha Nonoo at the 12th annual Vogue Fashion Fund Awards New York City in 2015
The presenter was photographed with fashion designer Miss Nonoo at the 2015 event hosted by the now disgraced mogul Harvey Weinstein and his then wife Georgina Chapman.
Rajan was also pictured mingling with Miss Chapman and designer Keren Craig, with whom she co-founded the Marchesa brand.
Meghan has modelled for Marchesa in the past and still regularly showcases the fashion label.
However Rajan claims he has no recollection of ‘exchanging a word’ with either Miss Nonoo or Miss Craig before or since the party, which was held in honour of media owner Evgeny Lebedev.
Last night a spokesman for the BBC said of the pictures of Rajan: ‘It’s ridiculous to suggest these pictures mean anything.
‘To the best of his knowledge, Amol has never met Ms Nonoo or Ms Craig before or since they were taken; nor does he recall ever exchanging a word with them. Nevertheless, he wishes them – and you – a very Merry Christmas.’
Of Rajan’s past views, the spokesman added: ‘This article predates Amol’s work at the BBC. Once journalists join the BBC, they leave past views at the door.
‘Amol is an experienced BBC journalist who reports on all of the topics he covers in an impartial way and in line with the BBC’s editorial guidelines. All BBC current affairs output is required to be impartial.’
Rajan himself was approached for comment by the Daily Mail.
In last week’s first episode of The Princes And The Press, journalist Omid Scobie, co-author of the biography of the Sussexes, Finding Freedom, said negative stories had been leaked about Meghan, although he did not name those involved. ‘There were some people who felt she needed to be put in her place,’ he said.
In response, the three royal households said: ‘Too often overblown and unfounded claims from unnamed sources are presented as facts and it is disappointing when anyone, including the BBC, gives them credibility.’
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