TV Host’s Vile Meghan Markle Column Sparks Investigation

British TV host and journalist Jeremy Clarkson is reportedly under investigation for an op-ed back in December where he shared disturbing, violent fantasies about Meghan Markle. In his column for The Sun, Clarkson took his political dislike for Markle to a personal level, calling for her to be paraded “naked through the streets” and assaulted. He has since apologized for the article, but The U.K.’s Independent Press Standards Organization may be launching an investigation.

The Independent Press Standards Organization (IPSO) is a regulatory body for the press in the United Kingdom, and according to a report by Newsweek they have received a complaint about Clarkson’s article. A spokesperson for the organization said: “Ipso can confirm we are investigating a complaint from the Fawcett Society under Clause 3 (Harassment) and Clause 12 (Discrimination).” Clarkson’s article has already been criticized for being tasteless, cruel and potentially dangerous to the royal family, but now other journalists say it may have violated their industry’s Editors’ Code of Practice as well.

“I hate her. Not like I hate [Scotland’s First Minister] Nicola Sturgeon or [serial killer] Rose West. I hate her on a cellular level,” Clarkson wrote back in December. “At night, I’m unable to sleep as I lie there, grinding my teeth and dreaming of the day when she is made to parade naked through the streets of every town in Britain while the crowds chant, ‘Shame!’ and throw lumps of excrement at her. Everyone who’s my age thinks the same way.”

After the backlash to the article began, Clarkson asked The Sun to unpublish it from their website and they agreed. The outlet gave a statement to Newsweek about the investigation, saying: “We can confirm we have now received a formal complaint from Ipso. We are considering our response. The Sun has sincerely apologized, and expressed regret at the publication of the column. We have no further comment at this time.”

Ipso sources said that there were over 25,000 complaints about Clarkson’s article, but it chose to pursue one from the Fawcett Society – a charity organization that advocates for gender equality. The organization tweeted: “We see evidence of the harm caused by misogyny every single day. We believe the views expressed and language used in Jeremy Clarkson’s column… contributed to a culture which normalizes violence against women and girls. We welcome news that the Independent Press Standards Organization is taking forward our complaint.”

Markle has not responded directly to Clarkson’s article since it was published. In January, Prince Harry condemned the article in an interview with ITV. He was also asked about it during an interview with 60 Minutes while promoting his memoir. Prince Harry said that he did not accept Clarkson’s social media apology. The prince also noted that the royal family has made no official response to Clarkson’s article, adding: “And there comes a point when silence is betrayal.”