The BBC has fired a presenter who tweeted an image of a chimpanzee dressed in clothes with the caption “Royal Baby leaves hospital’’.
Meghan, wife of Prince Harry, gave birth, in the early hours of Monday, to a baby boy, Archie, the first mixed-race child to be born into the top hierarchy of British royalty in recent history.
“Just got fired,” Danny Baker, the broadcaster with BBC Radio 5Live, said on Twitter.
The BBC also reported the news, though a spokesman for the BBC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The 61 year-old 5Live presenter was accused of mocking the duchess’ racial heritage.
A BBC spokesperson said: “This was a serious error of judgment.”
The corporation added that Baker’s tweet “goes against the values we as a station aim to embody.
“Danny is a brilliant broadcaster, but will no longer be presenting a weekly show with us.”
After an initial backlash on social media, Baker said: “Sorry my gag pic of the little fella in the posh outfit has whipped some up. Never occurred to me because, well, mind not diseased.
“Soon as those good enough to point out its possible connotations got in touch, down it came; and that’s it.’’
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan showed their son to the public for the first time on Wednesday.
Harry and Meghan, whose mother Doria Ragland is African American, revealed on Wednesday their new son was named Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.
Archie, who is seventh in line to the British throne, is expected to hold dual citizenship of Britain and the U.S.
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