Meghan Markle ‘mortified’ over friend Jessica Mulroney’s threats

Meghan Markle is ‘absolutely mortified’ with best friend Jessica Mulroney’s ‘tone-deaf’ threats to sue a black influencer and can ‘no longer be associated with her’, close friends of the Duchess of Sussex tell DailyMail.com exclusively.  

‘Meghan is absolutely mortified that she’s been dragged into this complete mess. She said Jessica is in no way a racist, but the way she handled the situation (with the fashion influencer) was tone-deaf and heartbreaking,’ a close friend of Meghan’s said.   

Mulroney has been fired from ABC’s Good Morning America and had her reality TV show canceled after threatening to sue black influencer Sasha Exeter after the pair got into a row over racism on Instagram. 

‘Meghan said friends reflect friends and because of what’s at stake she can no longer be associated with Jessica, at least not in public. She has to do what she has to do in order to preserve her dignity and her own reputation,’ they added. 

The scandal brings intense embarrassment to Meghan who devoted her brief time as a royal to promoting social good and is a life-long racial equality activist. 

The source added that they ‘wouldn’t be surprised’ if this marked the ‘beginning of the end of their friendship’. 

They also said that Meghan cannot publicly defend Mulroney in this case or help salvage her career.  

‘It’s not like Meghan can just call up ABC and defend Jessica,’ the source said. ‘There was a reason Meghan waited to so long to make a statement. She wanted to get it right. She said she urged Jessica to do the same thing from the get-go.’ 

Meghan made note of why she waited to make her statement on racial ineqaulity in a virtual speech to the graduating class at her former high school.

‘I wasn’t sure what I could say to you. I wanted to say the right thing and I was really nervous that I wouldn’t or that it would get picked apart. And I realized the only wrong thing to say is to say nothing,’ Meghan said. 

Mulroney referenced Meghan in her apology to Exeter on Instagram, saying: ‘I am unequivocally sorry for not doing that with you and for any hurt I’ve caused. As I told you privately, I have lived a very public and personal experience with my closest friend where race was front and center. It was deeply educational. I learned a lot from that. I promise to continue to learn and listen on how I can use my privilege to elevate and support black voices.’ 

The turmoil began when black Candadian influencer Sasha Exeter revealed that weeks ago, Mulroney ‘took offense’ to a ‘generic call to action’ she made asking white influencers to use their platforms

She claimed that Mulroney threatened Exeter with a lawsuit after Exeter publicly revealed that they’d been embroiled in a private war of words over racism. 

According to Exeter, Mulroney responded ‘personally’ to a ‘generic call to action’ that the black single mother issued on her Instagram page weeks ago, asking white influencers to use their platforms to advance the Black Lives Matter movement. 

It’s unclear how exactly Mulroney responded but the two – who were once ‘acquaintances’ – started arguing and it ‘ultimately’ escalated to Mulroney telling Exeter that she was going to contact companies that Exeter worked with. 

When Exeter went public, Mulroney posted a comment on her Instagram page for others to see in which she apologized. Exeter claims she however then sent her a private message, threatening to sue her for libel. 

‘Liable suit. Good luck,’ she wrote, misspelling the complaint she seemingly intended to make.

Canadian television network CTV fired Mulroney on Thursday and axed her wedding show, I do, Redo. She was also dropped by a clothing company she worked with. 

On Thursday night, Mulroney issued a statement on her own Instagram page to say she’d had time to reflect on her actions and that she is genuinely remorseful. 

‘She rightfully called me out for not doing enough when it came to engaging in the important and difficult conversation around race and injustice in our society.

‘I took it personally and that was wrong. I need to do better. I did not intend in any way to jeopardize her livelihood. We had a disagreement and it got out of hand.

‘For that I am sorry. I’m going to be stepping back from social media in the coming days and giving my microphone to Black voices by having them take over my account.

‘I have also asked Sasha if she would be willing to take over my account whenever she is comfortable and tell her story,’ she said. 

In a statement to DailyMail.com on Friday, a GMA spokeswoman said: ‘As Jessica Mulroney said last night, she is stepping away from her professional engagements and that includes Good Morning America. She will no longer appear on our show.’ 

ABC’s decision to severe ties with Mulroney came after staffers told DailyMail.com that they wanted her to be shown the door. 

‘Why isn’t ABC firing her? Her actions are completely unacceptable and do not reflect the values of Good Morning America.

‘We have a wonderfully diverse team – yet Jessica used her privilege to get her job and should be fired for her behavior in abusing it. 

‘CTV quickly fired her and many Canadian brands have done the same, why aren’t we doing that? This sends the wrong message.”

‘Plus she should be fired for working on a news show and not being able to spell libel.

‘ABC needs to take a stand. What are they afraid of? P**ssing off Meghan and Harry or the Trudeau family? 

‘The abuse of privilege here is outrageous,’ the staffer said.  

In an IGTV video, Exeter said she’d made a ‘very generic call to action’ at the start of the movement asking all influencers to use their platforms for good. 

Exeter said she was careful not to ‘call out’ anyone in particular but Mulroney took it badly.

She said: ‘Unfortunately though, one very prominent Canadian figure, who used to be an acquaintance of mine, named Jessica Mulroney, took offence to a very generic call to action that I shared on my IG (Instagram) stories.

‘What happened next was a series of very problematic behavior and antics that ultimately resulted in her sending me a threat in writing last Wednesday.

‘Listen, I am by no means calling Jess a racist but what I will say is this, she is very well aware of her wealth, her perceived power and privilege because of the color of her skin.

‘And that my friends gave her the momentary confidence to come for my livelihood in writing’.

It escalated and eventually, Mulroney told her: ‘I have also spoken to companies and people about the way you have treated me unfairly. 

‘You think your voice matters. Well it only matters if you express it with kindness and without shaming people who are simply trying to learn. Good luck.’ 

Exter said she was dumbfounded by the response and ‘paralyzed with fear’ that her partnerships or endorsements may be taken from her. 

She said she ‘by no means’ thinks Mulroney is racist but that she is acutely aware of her white privilege.’

‘For her to threaten me? 

‘A single mother, a single black mother, during a racial pandemic? Blows my mind, it is absolutely unbelievable.’

Mulroney has been slammed by her friend and fellow TV presenter Tracy Moore, who is black. 

She said Jessica had ‘used her extreme privilege to potentially bury a Black sister’. 

‘I am a friend. I am also a Black woman. The emotional labor often falls on our backs to speak up, push through and fight hard,’ Moore said. 

‘Let’s unlearn lashing out at Black women as a legitimate response to feeling called out.’