The BBC has sparked a fresh ‘bias’ row after it emerged Amol Rajan will write and present a two-part series about younger royals despite once calling the monarchy ‘absurd’.
Amol Rajan, 38 (presenter of Radio 4’s Today Programme), will present a BBC Two two-part documentary on the royals, called The Princes and the Press. The programme will air on November 22.
BBC has stated that the documentary will chart the history of the relationship between the young royals (the Duke and Duchesss of Cambridge and the Duke & Duchess Sussex) over the past 20 years.
However, royal experts worry that they will have to confront new questions regarding the BBC’s “impartiality” guidelines.
The Duke (Left) and Duchess of Cambridge (Pictured Right) will be included in the documentary The Princes and the Press, which will air on November 22, fronted by Amol Rajan, 38, a presenter on Radio 4’s flagship current affairs show Today Programme
Rajan was the first editor non-white of a national newspaper after he was appointed as The Independent’s head in 2013.
In a column he wrote in 2012, he criticized the portrayal of the royals by the media and expressed his disapproval for the “absurd” monarchy.
His words were: “When it comes to the absurd monarchy of our country, journalists have become so engrossed by aristocratic wealth they cannot present a convincing picture for their readers.
‘”Mrs Wales – spare us from the ‘Duchess of Cambridge” – is a beautiful lady, and does noble work. Like the rest, she’s prone to poor moods and bad breathing and looks less attractive when she’s drunk.
“You would not know this from media coverage. The idol you receive is not the person.
“I have nothing to do with Prince Harry or Prince William or Catherine Middleton or the Queen.
After Rajan’s two-part series on younger royals was revealed, the BBC now faces ‘an impartiality dispute’. Rajan had previously called the monarchy “absurd” and will present it in two parts. (Pictured) The Duke of Sussex (Left), and the Duchess (Right).
“I dislike other royals like Prince Philip or Prince Charles (scientifically illiterate Prince Charles), who advocate policies that lead to starvation death of millions of Africans.
The BBC have said Rajan left his ‘past views as the door’ once he joined the corporation and will be ‘impartial’
Dickie Arbiter, who is a royal expert and the Queen’s former press secretary, told The Telegraph: ‘Unfortunately reporting at the BBC seems to have fallen by the wayside – now it’s all about opinion. Is Amol Rajan changing his mind since Indie?
Much-anticipated documentary “explains what these events reveal regarding two great pillars modern Britain, monarchy and media and the real story of their complicated, complex, and changing relationship.”
MailOnline received confirmation from the BBC that Rajan has ‘past views’ and that the series is in accordance with the BBC’s editorial guidelines.
The BBC said: ‘This article predates Amol’s work at the BBC. Journalists are free to forget about their past views once they join the BBC.
‘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 content must be fair and impartial.
Majesty magazine managing editor Joe Little also stated that it would be interesting to see what happens if these sentiments prevail.
This much-anticipated document will “explain what these events show about two great Pillars of Modern Britain, The Monarchy and Media, and the true story behind their complex, complicated and changing relationship”.
Episode one will follow the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, which celebrated 60 years of Her Majesty’s reign, and received much lighter coverage from the media than the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s Royal Wedding in April 2011.
It also ‘charts the years leading up to and including the engagement and marriage of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’, exploring the Prince’ positive relationship with the media.