The Duchess of Sussex has permanently cut ties with Jessica Mulroney after she became embroiled in a race row with an influencer, a source has claimed.
Meghan Markle, 38, first met Jessica, 40, while she was filming legal drama Suits in Toronto, and the stylist went on to attend her wedding to Prince Harry in 2018 – however Meghan has now reportedly ended their friendship ‘for good’.
An insider told Page Six that their relationship was ‘already on the out’, because Meghan felt that Jessica was ‘making a career out of the friendship’.
Last week influencer Sasha Exeter shared a series of unpleasant messages in which Jessica allegedly threatened to sue her – and the bitter controversy that followed led to the Canada-based mother-of-two being fired from her presenting role with CTV and her job with Good Morning America.
The Duchess of Sussex has cut ties with Jessica Mulroney following the stylist’s race row with an influencer, a source has claimed (seen together in 2016 in Toronto)
Speaking to Page Six, the source said: ‘The white privilege row has really given Meghan the excuse she was waiting for to cut Jess off for good.
‘I don’t know what the tipping point was, but Jess has been on the outs for some time.
‘Their friendship is definitely not what it was. And really, how can you have such a close friendship when one person is basically making a career out of the friendship?’.
Representatives for Jessica and Meghan have been contacted for comment.
Meghan Markle, 38, who first met Jessica Mulroney, 40, during her time on legal drama Suits in Toronto, before the stylist went on to attend her wedding to Prince Harry in 2018, has reportedly ended the friendship ‘for good’ (seen with Harry in London in March)
Last week Sasha shared a series of unpleasant messages in which Jessica Mulroney allegedly threatened to sue her, which led to her being fired from her presenting role with CTV
This comes after Jessica had her reality TV show cancelled and was fired as a bridal marketing specialist after ‘threatening’ a black social media influencer in a row over white privilege.
Mulroney admitted last week that ‘I was wrong’ after clashing with lifestyle blogger Sasha Exeter in the wake of the George Floyd protests.
Exeter says Mulroney ‘took offense’ to a ‘generic call to action’ that she posted on her Instagram story weeks ago and that the pair then started arguing.
It’s unclear if the entire dispute happened over Instagram and what specifically was said but, eventually, it resulted in Mulroney allegedly threatening Exeter that she would contact companies she had worked with.
Mulroney apologized publicly on one of Exeter’s Instagram post after the went public with their dispute but Exeter claims she then sent her another private message which read: ‘Liable suit. Good luck.’ (sic)
Toronto-based Influencer Sasha Exeter said she was left ‘paralyzed with fear’ and ‘stayed up days and nights’ worrying about what Jessica (right) ‘could be saying to my existing brand partners, potential work, potential livelihood’. The pair had a row over racism and Mulroney apparently not using her voice enough in a private exchange believed to have happened over Instagram direct messages
Since then, Mulroney – who is Meghan Markle’s best friend and grew up in a wealthy Jewish family in Canada – has been fired from CTV, which aired the wedding show I Do, Red.
‘Recent conduct by one of our shows’ hosts, Jessica Mulroney, conflicts with our commitment to diversity and equality,’ the network said in a statement said.
Last night, Mulroney returned to Instagram to publicly apologize and say that she took ‘personally’ something she shouldn’t have.
‘I did not intend in any way to jeopardize her livelihood. We had a disagreement and it got out of hand. For that I am sorry,’ she said.
‘The events that have transpired over the last few days have made it clear that I have work to do.
‘I realize more than ever how being a white, privileged woman has put me far ahead of so many, and in particular those in the Black community. And while I can’t change the past, I can do my part to do better in the future.
‘I respect the decision of CTV and have decided to step away from my professional engagements at this time. I’m going to take this time to reflect, learn and focus on my family.
‘I also want to take a moment to clarify that I have no intention of pursuing any legal action. I was wrong, and for that I am truly sorry.
‘I remain more committed than ever to support anti-racism efforts and will do everything in my power to right this wrong.’
Mulroney’s friend and fellow TV presenter Tracy Moore, who is black, said Jessica had ‘used her extreme privilege to potentially bury a Black sister’.
After Exeter went public with the dispute on Thursday, Mulroney posted this comment publicly on her page
But Exeter says she privately received this message from Mulroney after the public apology
‘I am a friend. I am also a Black woman. The emotional labour often falls on our backs to speak up, push through and fight hard,’ Moore said.
‘Let’s unlearn lashing out at Black women as a legitimate response to feeling called out.’
The cancellation of Mulroney’s show was confirmed in a tweet by CTV on Thursday evening, who said the recent actions of the I Do, Redo host had conflicted with their ‘commitment to diversity and equality’.
‘Bell Media and CTV encourages our entire team including on-air talent to practice respect, inclusivity and allyship as we pledge to work better and more openly to listen to and amplify black voices, and not minimize them,’ the statement began.
‘Because recent conduct by one of our shows hosts, Jessica Mulroney, conflicts with our commitment to diversity and equality, CTV has removed ‘I DO REDO’ from all Bell Media channels and platforms effective immediately.’
Hours later, Canadian department store Hudson’s Bay announced on Instagram that ‘in light of recent events’ they too would be distancing themselves from Mulroney, firing her as their fashion and bridal specialist.
‘Over the past week Hudson’s Bay has committed to doing better,’ the statement read. ‘As we move forward, our leadership associates and ambassadors must reflect our brand inclusivity, equality and respect for all. We will not tolerate anything less.’
Toronto-based influencer Exeter had posted the emotional video on Wednesday, who said Mulroney had threatened her during an argument about ‘speaking up’ against racism that had left her ‘paralyzed in fear’.
Mulroney was last night dropped by CTV and Hudson’s Bay after Exeter shared their argument
Exeter said Mulroney had ‘taken offense to a very generic call to action’ posted online, causing the two women to argue about the topics of white privilege and racism but she never shared the full exchange.
Hours after posting her initial video about her argument with Jessica, Sasha claimed to have been sent further messages ‘threatening a law suit to try and shut you up’
The influencer says the exchange resulted in Mulroney saying: ‘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.’
Exeter said the exchanges left her feeling ‘paralyzed in fear,’ wondering what Mulroney was saying to her brand partners or potential brands she might want to work with.
Sharing the video with her 58,000 followers, she explained: ‘Very early on in this, I was very vocal about wanting my peers with an online presence to speak up, stand up and use their voice for good to help combat what’s going on with this race war.’
‘I’m by no means calling Jess a racist, but 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. Textbook white privilege really.’
The influencer accused Mulroney of ‘never wanting to stand up and use her voice in the first place’ and ‘not understanding why she needed to’.
Mulroney then returned to Instagram on Thursday night to post another apology
Exeter suggested that Mulroney felt ‘sharing that this really wasn’t a problem that she wanted to share on her social channels’, used ‘excuses that she would be bullied by the public and media’, and ‘claimed her show was more important to promote.’
Revealing the ‘threatening’ message, Exeter said: ‘I’m still shaking my head at this attempt and the audacity she had.
Jessica on I Do, Redo
‘Not only is Mulroney very well aware of her white privilege but just like her fellow Canadian Amy Cooper, she spewed out that threat so effortlessly,’ she said. Cooper was the woman who called police on a black birdwatcher in Central Park in a video which was widely shared last month.
Exeter continued: ‘But I think what makes this situation really horrendous is the threat or claim she was going ahead to speak to brands or companies that I potentially haven’t worked with or could possibly work with. That is a threat. That’s a threat to my livelihood.’
‘For her to threaten me? A single mother, a single black mother, during a racial pandemic? Blows my mind, it is absolutely unbelievable.’
Exeter continued to say that she felt Mulroney ‘realised she had screwed up big time’ and ‘that resulted in a lot of back pedalling’.
Meanwhile the influencer said: ‘Amidst all this craziness, I remained paralysed with fear.
‘I stayed up days and nights wondering what could she be saying to my existing brand partners, potential work, potential livelihood. What could this mean for my career?
‘I spoke to my parents, who were legitimately stressed and worried about how this would affect me if I stood up for myself.’
Exeter said that the ‘only take away is this sh** needs to stop right now….You cannot be posting that you stand in solidarity, while attempting to silence somebody via text.’
In a comment posted on the video clip, Mulroney said she was ‘unequivocally sorry’, adding that being Meghan’s ‘closest friend’ has ‘deeply educated’ her about race.
‘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,’ Mulroney responded.
She posted another apology to Exeter Thursday, this time on her own Instagram page, insisting the former athlete had ‘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,’ she continued. ‘I want to say from my heart that every more of my apologies to Sasha over the course of the last two weeks privately, and again both publicly and privately today is true.
‘I did not intend in any way to jeopardize her livelihood … for that I am sorry,’ she said.
Last week Mulroney said she was taking a break from social media, after revealing that ‘someone dear to her told her to stand up to racism’.
Mulroney, who lives in Toronto with husband Ben Mulroney, 44, twins John and Brian, 9, and 7-year-old Ivy, took to Instagram to reveal she was ‘taking a week off to educate herself’.
The Canadian stylist has previously slammed ‘racist bullies’ when she appeared to reference the trolling Meghan was suffering.
Mulroney’s reality show, I Do, Redo, premiered on CTV at the end of March and was also released internationally on Netflix.
The series followed Jessica as she helped couples move on from their disastrous weddings by giving them the nuptials they’ve ‘always dreamed of.’
Mulroney also presents a fashion segment for ABC’s Good Morning America. The network has not yet confirmed if it will be taking any disciplinary action against the 40-year-old.