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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Izzy Hawksworth

Meghan Markle's popularity surges in US after latest interview in 'extraordinary' poll

Meghan Markle 's recent interview, as well as her new podcast episode, were a big hit stateside according to an "extraordinary" new survey.

More than two-thirds of Americans asked said they thought more favourably of Meghan since both were broadcast.

The news comes despite her controversial comments in an interview with The Cut and during the second episode of her Spotify podcast Archetypes.

Meghan, 41, sparked a backlash last week when she compared herself to former South African president Nelson Mandela in an interview with US magazine The Cut.

She claimed she was told South Africans "danced in the street" when she married Prince Harry - just like they did when "Mandela was freed from prison".

Around 40% of Americans surveyed thought more favourably of Meghan and her interview and podcast (Getty Images)

She also claimed she was forced to get approval for her social media posts from the royal household and claims she forced to keep doing events despite a fire in her son Archie's nursery.

However some British commentators mocked her comments and one even labelled her interview as "threatening to the Royal Family".

But a poll of 2001 adults in the US this week - carried out by OnePoll UK - found that they thought more favourably of Meghan despite her comments.

Of those quizzed, around 40 per cent said they thought "more favourably of her," and a further 30 per cent said they thought "much more favourably."

Just ten per cent said they thought less favourably of her and around 20 per cent said they felt no different.

Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliam described The Cut interview as 'threatening' towards the royal family (Getty Images)

Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliam said: "I think that is an extraordinary result because the interview in The Cut was threatening, or I thought it was to the Royal Family.

"I think it is a staggering result, I can't explain it.

"But I certainly would very strongly condemn her mentioning of Nelson Mandela and his release from prison, and that it is linked to her in any connection or context."

Richard added: "I'm not surprised that her admirers and her fans would support her, because she has some very piteous followers on Twitter.

"She is American and is unique in the way that she is a biracial former actress and divorcee, and when she married into the royal family, I thought it was fantastic.

"Now I'm just very surprised by this result, but I think she has admirers and fans because she is American."

The survey also found 16% of people described her as strong and 14% described her as charming, compared to just four per cent of people who described her as a bully.

In the Cut interview, published last Monday, Meghan also claimed that Harry has "lost" his father Prince Charles.

Meghan claimed Harry had lost his father, Prince Charles, in The Cut interview (Getty Images,)

The poll found 36% of Americans believe these claims compared to just 10% who disbelieve them.

Meghan also discussed how she left due to abuse from the media, and added that she hasn't signed anything that prevents her talking about her experience as a Duchess.

She has also released a Spotify podcast Archetypes, where she interviewed Mariah Carey.

In the episode, Meghan complained that she was only "treated as a black woman" after she married Prince Harry, 37, in 2018.

Meghan and Harry are said to have arrived in the UK yesterday for their first visit since the Queen's Jubilee in June, apparently shunning a private jet in favour of a commercial flight.

The former actress tied the knot with Harry at a fairytale wedding at Windsor Castle in May 2018.

However, in 2020, the pair decided to step back from official royal engagements, and they later moved to America.

Meghan and Harry live in California with their two children - Archie and Lillibet Mountbatten-Windsor.

They also did a TV interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021, where they discussed why they stepped back from the Royal Family.

The Duchess claimed that an unidentified royal made comments about Archie's skin colour, before he was born.

The couple are due to visit the UK later this month.

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