Disgrace of Meghan’s pal ...cast out by TV bosses over bullying row
Duchess’s unofficial spokeswoman forced into grovelling apology to black blogger
The heir to a shoe business and married to the son of the former Canadian PM Brian Mulroney, she exerts considerable influence – or did until yesterday.
It was, then, a David vs Goliath battle between Miss Exeter and Mrs Mulroney – and one that the former seems to have won. In a video on Wednesday, Miss Exeter said she had endured ‘a series of very problematic behaviour and antics that ultimately resulted in [Mulroney] sending me a threat in writing last Wednesday’.
The message Mulroney wrote to her ran: ‘I have also spoken to companies and people about the way you have treated me unfairly. You think your voice matters. Well it only matters if you express it with kindness and without shaming people who are simply trying to learn. Good luck.’
In response Miss Exeter wrote: ‘I am by no means calling Jess a racist but what I will say is this, she is very well aware of her wealth, her perceived power and privilege because of the colour of her skin.
And that, my friends, gave her the momentary confidence to come for my livelihood in writing. For her to threaten me? A single mother, a single black mother, during a racial pandemic? Blows my mind, it is absolutely unbelievable.’
MulronEY apologised. She wrote that she had experienced racism via her friendship with Meghan. ‘As I told you privately, I have lived a very public and personal experience with my closest friend where race was front and centre. It was deeply educational. I learned a lot from that.’
She said she was ‘unequivocally sorry’ and intended ‘to continue to learn and listen on how I can use my privilege to elevate and support black voices’.
However, Exeter said Mulroney also privately sent her a text message threatening libel action which ran: ‘liable(sic) suit. Good luck.’ next, Mulroney issued a further apology which ran: ‘She rightfully called me out for not doing enough when it came to engaging in the important and difficult conversation around race and injustice in our society. I took it personally and that was wrong. I know I need to do better.’
There was a further apology yesterday in which she said: ‘I realise more than every how being a white, privileged woman has put me far ahead of so many, and in particular those in the Black community.’
She added that she was stepping away from professional engagements, would not be pursuing any legal action and was ‘more committed than ever to support anti racism efforts’.
Mulroney said she respected the decision of CTV to drop her show.
netflix was supposed to release it in America but has not commented. She has also been dropped by the department store Hudson Bayand and panel discussion show Cityline say they will no longer be using her. She had also been hired to front fashion slots on Good
Morning America in 2019. But last night ABC, which broadcasts Good Morning America, said they would not be using Mulroney again as a fashion commentator, a heavy blow to any ambitions she had to make it big in the uS.
The cosmetics brand Fancy Face also dropped her, saying that she no longer aligned with their values. What is mystifying is how someone as savvy as Mrs Mulroney could get it so wrong.
one TV source said: ‘I don’t think it’s about anything more than her ego but to touch the third rail which is race in America at this moment is jaw-dropping.’