Jameela Jamil ‘mortified’ by UK’s treatment of Meghan Markle: 'If [she] was white, the bold things she’s doing would be celebrated'

'If Meghan was a white woman, all the bold things she’s doing would be celebrated'

(Getty Images for MTV)

Jameela Jamil has spoken out in support of the Duchess of Sussex, explaining that she’s “massively mortified by the way people in England nitpick everything” the royal does.

Speaking to The Sunday Times Magazine, the Good Place actor and body positivity activist argued that Meghan would not be so heavily criticised by the British media if she were white.

“Let’s just hope this is an adjustment period and that things are about to improve, because if Meghan was a white woman, all the bold things she’s doing would be celebrated.”

Jamil was recently chosen by Meghan to front the September issue of British Vogue, which the royal guest-edited, alongside 14 other inspiring women such as activist Greta Thunberg and the author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

In the fashion magazine, the actor wrote an opinion piece about body image in which she opened up about her struggles with anorexia as a teenager, explaining how she spent years feeling “terrified of food” and “unable to have sex with the light on”.

Now, Jamil has recalled working with Meghan in The Sunday Times Magazine: “I used some pretty blunt language, but the duchess said she had personally okayed it,” she said.

The I Weigh founder went on to praise Meghan for spearheading such a trailblazing project for Vogue.

“She’s so cool,” Jamil said. “This cover proves that Meghan isn’t in this for the glory. She’s being bold and using her privilege to pass the mic on to other women.”

Elsewhere in the interview Jamil touched on how her body image has evolved over the years, recalling being “nationally fat-shamed” when she took on a presenting job at BBC Radio 1.

“Photos of me bending over outside my front door were put next to photos of me at my most anorexic on the cover of tabloid magazines,” she said.

“I didn’t feel embarrassed about my size. I felt embarrassed for my country. What difference did it make how I looked? I was on the radio.”