TV host Piers Morgan calls Meghan Markle 'fake' in on-air rant

Meghan Markle has come under attack from Piers Morgan. Photo / Getty Images

Meghan Markle seems to have captivated Australians in her short stay down under - but back home, trouble is brewing with an influential broadcaster labelling her a fake and a phoney.

Former tabloid editor Piers Morgan, now Good Morning Britain host, was scathing about the pregnant duchess in a live-to-air rant on UK television this morning [local time].

The hosts were talking about the royal tour of Australia, and looking at vision of the couple's visit to drought-stricken Dubbo when Morgan unleashed on the 37-year-old.
"She is an actress. She's acting great at the moment."

Not long after Morgan tweeted a picture of a mesmerised Meghan looking at Prince Harry with the caption: "Once an actress..."

Morgan's hosts teased him about Meghan ignoring him one night they crossed paths in London, but he said that had nothing to do with it.

Co-host Susanna Reid said: "You still can't let it go, can you Piers? The fact she left the pub that day and never spoke to you ever again."

He denied that was the case. "It's a red light when people behave like that, in an odd manner...the axe came down, as it did with the dad, axed - everyone of her family... worrying..."

Some twitter users thought his comments were funny, but most praised Meghan for ignoring him.

"I don't blame Megan ignoring her family. After seeing the way they have all behaved I would too. As for ignoring Piers, I feel for anyone who comes in to contact with him," one said.

😂😂😂 Once an actress... pic.twitter.com/lSMEdIZOs5

— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) October 17, 2018

Another wrote: "As much as I hate @piersmorgan he is tv gold. His comments about Megan Kardashian Markle were hilarious."

Meghan fans would have been pleased to see Morgan got a pie in the face in a later, unrelated segment, on the show.

Harry Hill throws pie in @piersmorgan's face delivering blow for 'all the dads who wear papooses'https://t.co/weF1UCMfGI pic.twitter.com/NtM1iPBQtw

— The Scottish Sun (@ScottishSun) October 17, 2018

Meanwhile, the Duchess of Sussex is hardly likely to worry about Morgan given the reaction she and Harry are getting wherever they go in Australia.

In Dubbo, Prince Harry spoke to the crowd about the need for a community to stick together.

"You must not silently suffer and, if I may speak personally, we are all in this together, because asking for help was one of the best decisions I ever made."

"I just think that it's lovely that they got off the beaten track and came out to Dubbo to speak with people affected by the drought," Warren farmer Audrey Weston told AAP.

"He offered to stay for two weeks so we could have some more of the rain."

Their first official engagement in Dubbo was at the dedication of a new plane for the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

They ended the day with a visit to the Dubbo College Senior Campus. School captain Grace Gower said they felt privileged they chose their school to visit, and were also grateful they brought the rain.