Days after Kensington Palace released new social media guidelines in the hopes of curbing rampant sexist and racist bullying aimed at the Duchesses of Cambridge and Sussex, campaign group Hope Not Hate have released new statistics that have shocked the world.
Centred on the abuse that pregnant Duchess, Meghan Markle, receives online, the study has narrowed down most of the racist and sexist commentary, to just 20 online accounts.
It’s no secret that the proud bi-racial mother-to-be faces everything from coded press coverage to flagrantly racist insults daily.
Read Next
Even in ELLE UK’s own Instagram comments sections, we have seen the sorts of hateful words reserved solely for the former Suits actress.
Now, a campaign group, who have in the past helped to push back against the spurious narratives of right wing groups like the BNP and EDL, has trawled through 5,200 abusive messages aimed at the 37-year-old in the last two months and made a staggering discovery.
Of these thousands of messages, 3,600 Tweets were sent from just 20 accounts, meaning 70 per cent of the trolling in January and February was created by these few people, whose entire online presence has been dedicated to bullying of the philanthropist.
According to the Daily Mail, these messages ranged from thinly-veiled negative comments, to out-and-out racist abuse.
Some accounts are pushing the conspiracy theory that Markle has been donning a fake bump and that she and Prince Harry have in fact opted for surrogacy.
We despair.
If Markle and the Duke of Sussex had decided to chose surrogacy, that would be totally their decision, however, as much as we don't want to believe Meghan looks this good eight months pregnant, it's the truth.
Daisy Murray is the Digital Fashion Editor at ELLE UK, spotlighting emerging designers, sustainable shopping, and celebrity style. Since joining in 2016 as an editorial intern, Daisy has run the gamut of fashion journalism - interviewing Molly Goddard backstage at London Fashion Week, investigating the power of androgynous dressing and celebrating the joys of vintage shopping.
