PARIS: French satirical weekly magazine Charlie Hebdo, known for poking fun with its publication, has sparked another controversy with the portrayal of Queen Elizabeth who can be seen kneeling on the neck of Meghan Markle – recreating the death of George Floyd.
The latest cartoon was published on the front cover page on Saturday where the headline cited ‘Why Meghan quit Buckingham’ while the 39-year-old Duchess of Sussex replied that she quit because ‘she could not breathe anymore.’
The cartoon depicted a red-eyed and hairy-legged queen who can be seen kneeling on Meghan’s, neck, recreating the death of George Floyd – who got killed on May 25, 2020, during an arrest when a male police officer kneeled on the 44-year-old who was pinned to the floor. The killing sparked an unprecedented wave of Black Lives Matter protests across the world following which Minneapolis agreed to settle the suit with $27 million to George Floyd’s family.
It is pertinent to mention that the satire from French provocative publication comes days after blasting Oprah Winfrey interview in which the former actress [Meghan Markle] shell-shocked the world with a series of serious accusations against the royal family including the skin tone of the couple’s newborn and her suicidal thoughts during the pregnancy period.
Following the accusations from Prince Harry’s spouse, the Royal Palace issued a clarification that stated the claims ‘concerning’ and further vowed private investigations into the matter.
On the other hand, the recent satire cartoon of Meghan and Queen prompted a huge discussion as many calling it offensive. CEO of a UK-based racial equality think-tank, Dr. Halime Begum said the cover was wrong on every level. The publication doesn’t push boundaries, make anyone laugh, or challenge racism. It demeans the issues and causes offense, across the board,” she wrote in the tweet while addressing racism and pointless humour.
#CharlieHebdo, this is wrong on every level. The Queen as #GeorgeFloyd's murderer crushing Meghan's neck? #Meghan saying she's unable to breathe? This doesnt push boundaries, make anyone laugh or challenge #racism. It demeans the issues & causes offence, across the board. pic.twitter.com/ptNXs8RtuS
— Dr Halima Begum (@Halima_Begum) March 13, 2021
Earlier, the French satire magazine has published many provoking cartoons including Turkish President Erdogan who can be seen looking up a woman’s skirt while drinking alcohol in his underpants.
In October 2020, the French President has also provoked Muslims worldwide after he announced to fight Islamist separatism and defended the blasphemous cartoons of Prophet Muhammad SAW. The controversial remarks from Macron have led to protests, boycotts, and condemnations.
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