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 called it’sycophantic, shameless monarchist propaganda’ and said that the titles of the Duke and Duchess were absurd’. Kate was also criticised during Kate’s wedding for her “false royal waves”, which he described as ‘desperately tragic”.
Rajan (38), posted about 20 tweets critical of the royals between March 2010 to January 2013, when he worked for The Independent newspaper. He was appointed editor in June 2013.
This will increase pressure on BBC for its handling Rajan’s 2-part documentary. The BBC was subject to unprecedented criticisms from Buckingham Palace Clarence House Kensington Palace, and the BBC itself.
The tweets were posted after Rajan apologized on Twitter for calling the public roles of William and Kate a “total fraud” and calling Philip an “racist buffoon” in articles written 2012 for The Independent.
MailOnline sent Rajan’s tweets from the past to BBC’s Press Office this afternoon. They said that Rajan wanted to clarify that his tweet apology “applicable to all comments – even tweets”. MailOnline also heard from a BBC spokesperson that past views are no longer relevant once journalists have joined the BBC. Amol is a BBC journalist with experience who covers all topics in an objective manner and according to the BBC’s editorial guidelines.
One of the tweets was posted June 16, 2012, the day that Trooping The Colour took place. He said: “This relentless, spirit-crushing monarchist propagandism on the BBC makes me sick. You need to quickly watch some sports.
One of his colleagues, Rebecca Armstrong (now features editor at the i), tweeted that he had replied to a question about her Independent colleague. Armstrong said, “Watching a madcat programme on Animal Planet. The couple own a huge mog sanctuary home with zillions of cats. This may make it difficult to sleep. Rajan responded: Is that Freeview? Rajan replied: ‘Is that on Freeview? I am about to throw a stone at Kate and Wills and would really love to see a cat sanctuary.
Although it is unclear what exactly he meant, Kate and William were just returning from Tuvalu in the Pacific at that time. Closer magazine in France published topless photographs of Kate one week prior.
Rajan also tweeted on 22 October 2010: “Prince Charles doesn’t have the intelligence to see that ethics’ foundation is refusing to take nature’s cruelty course.” It is not “harmony”.
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. It’s not possible. On March 8, 2012, he said: “Do we have to endure this year’s endless shameless and sycophantic monarchist propaganda?” Ah. Yes. Yes.
His November 28th 2012 statement was: “OH NO!” In Cambridge, the absurdly named Duke and Duchess enter Guildhall. There is a wedding I am going to next year. It’s time to reconsider. He posted numerous tweets on the Royal Wedding day, April 29, 2011 about waving wedding guests. Kate does the faux royal wave, too. She should wave like a commoner #rw2011.
Rajan also said the following in another interview, the day after Rajan’s statement: “I have so much solidarity right here with the fact that Michael Middleton clearly is incapable of the royal waves.” Let’s get 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 was the BBC’s Media Editor and presented The Princes And The Press. It is the BBC’s controversial royal documentary.
Rajan, in response to today’s Daily Mail report said: ‘In reference to very rational questions about some foolish comment from a previous life, I would like to say that I deeply regretted 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. Rajan added: ‘I am completely committed to impartiality, and I hope that our recent programs can be judged according to their merits.
MailOnline was told by a source that Rajan had apologized ‘of himself’ and not been forced to do so by his bosses.
One open letter addressed to William and Kate was sent to them in December 2012 by The Independent. It came after they announced that they were pregnant. The self-declared republican encouraged them to “renounce the luxury of royal patronage, and the aristocracy”, claiming that “everyone will win” if they did.
Rajan acknowledged the happy news and congratulated them on their new baby. However, he said they had a public fraud.
Rajan is the BBC’s media editor. He also recommended that their couple should live in a decent suburban home and send their child off to a normal school, rather than living in a large palace.
Other columns were written by the journalist for the newspaper. He described Prince Philip as a “racist buffoon” and Prince Charles was described 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.’
He apologizes after Tim Davie, BBC director-general, stated last year that the BBC would take action against staff who post their opinions online. Staff could be even forced to leave Twitter if they do not meet this ‘high standard’.
Royal households think last month’s documentary included a series of unverified and inaccurate allegations of collusion between the media and royal households, especially in relation to the Duke and Duchess Sussex’s turbulent time of quitting royal duties.
Rajan also allowed the statements in the document to remain unquestioned, causing anger among the palaces.
Critics claim that this series failed to address allegations by Sussex supporters, such as Jenny Afia, Meghan’s lawyer.
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
Today the Duchess and Duke of Cambridge visit the Fabrice in London exhibition at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum.
Amol Rajan is pictured at a cocktail party along with several Meghan associates, including Misha Nonoo (pictured alongside Rajan).
Today, Amol Rajan (the journalist who presented The Princes and The Press) apologized for the comments he made in The Independent
Prince William supported his beloved Aston Villa during their match against Manchester City in Villa Park last night.
Yesterday’s photos showed Rajan with several of Meghan’s friends at a cocktail party, which included Misha Nonoo, one of her closes friends.
Meghan Markle with her friend Misha Nonoo at the 12th annual Vogue Fashion Fund Awards New York City in 2015
Presenter photographed together with Miss Nonoo fashion designer at 2015’s Harvey Weinstein and Georgina Chapman event.
Rajan also was pictured with Miss Chapman, Keren Craig and Keren Chapman who co-founded Marchesa.
Meghan was a Marchesa model in the past. She still showcases Marchesa’s fashion labels regularly.
Rajan, however, claims he can’t recall ever having spoken with Miss Nonoo or Miss Craig.
Yesterday night, a BBC spokesperson said that Rajan’s pictures were absurdly meant to mean something.
Amol says that he has not met Ms Nonoo and Ms Craig since the time they were married. He also doesn’t recall having ever spoken with them. Nevertheless, he wishes them – and you – a very Merry Christmas.’
Rajan’s previous views were addressed to the BBC spokesperson. He said that the article was written before Amol joined the BBC. Journalists are free to forget about their past views once they join the BBC.
“Amol, a BBC veteran journalist, reports impartially on every topic he covers and follows the BBC’s editorial guidelines. All BBC current affairs content must be fair and impartial.
Daily Mail reached Rajan directly for comments.
Omid Scobie (journalist and coauthor of Finding Freedom’s biography on the Sussexes) stated that negative stories about Meghan had been published in the first episode of The Princes And The Press. He did not identify the people involved. He stated that there had been some who thought she was a bad person.
Three royal families responded with the following: “Too often, overblown and unfounded assertions from unnamed sources were presented as facts. It is disappointing that anyone including the BBC gives them credibility.”