Prince Harry has faced a massive backlash from both sides of the ocean after calling the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America “bonkers”.
The Duke of Sussex made several controversial comments on an episode of Dax Shepard and Monica Padman’s “Armchair Expert” podcast.
At one point during the podcast, Harry was talking about Los Angeles, where Harry and his wife Meghan Markle escaped after leaving the United Kingdom, and about what he called the media "feeding frenzy" in connection with the attention he got while living in Beverly Hills, especially from paparazzi.
"I don't want to start sort of going down the First Amendment route because that's a huge subject and one which I don't understand because I've only been here a short period of time … but, you can find a loophole in anything. And you can capitalise or exploit what’s not said rather than uphold what is said," he said.
"I’ve got so much I want to say about the First Amendment as I sort of understand it, but it is bonkers," he added.
The comments have triggered a wave of criticism online, including from political heavyweights.
Senator Ted Cruz posted an ironic comment reflecting the fact that the amendment protects the freedom of speech.
Nice that he can say that. https://t.co/rC9mGUPpEo
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) May 17, 2021
Republican Representative Dan Crenshaw also made a joke on the subject.
Well I just doubled the size of my Independence Day party. https://t.co/cEIG0XUwZR
— Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) May 14, 2021
Nigel Farage chimed in, slamming Harry for “losing the plot”.
For Prince Harry to condemn the USA's First Amendment shows he has lost the plot. Soon he will not be wanted on either side of the pond.
— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) May 15, 2021
Columnists, political activists, and other Twitter users also expressed their unhappiness with the Duke’s comments.
The First Amendment is one of the biggest reasons why the USA is a bastion of free speech and freedom of expression.
— Dan Wootton (@danwootton) May 16, 2021
The fact Prince Harry doesn’t like it because he thinks rich privileged folk deserve more rights than everyone else says a lot!https://t.co/HCBYnHMEmY
Don’t let the door knob hit you, Windsor. “Prince Harry Says America’s First Amendment Is ‘Bonkers’” - The Daily Caller https://t.co/oYoNVZxk4x
— Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) May 17, 2021
“I’ve got so much I want to say about the First Amendment as I sort of understand it, but it is bonkers.” - Prince Harry
— Jay Caruso (@JayCaruso) May 16, 2021
This is why July 4th is referred to as Losers Day in your homeland.
“Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.” (Lincoln or Twain or someone smarter than Prince Harry.) https://t.co/CNs6syGB1t
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) May 17, 2021
This was not the only controversial comment Harry made during the podcast; he also blasted his father Charles’s parenting and describing royal life as a cross between The Truman Show (a 1990s movie) and being in a zoo.
