‘Unacceptable & heartbreaking’: British UFC superstar Leon Edwards has his say on Royal racism row after Harry & Meghan interview

Top UFC welterweight contender Leon Edwards says that the allegations stemming from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's recent explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey are "unacceptable" amid the ongoing Royal racism storm.

Edwards, who emigrated to the United Kingdom from Jamaica at the age of nine, spoke to TMZ Sports about the allegations to surface from Harry and Meghan's first wide-ranging interview since they significantly reduced their royal duties last year.

Among the most explosive revelations was Markle's allegation that an unnamed member of the British Royal Family expressed concern about the potentially dark skin color the couples' first child, Archie, may have had. 

The couple have also bemoaned the aggressive nature of the British tabloids, whom Harry says blatantly invented falsehoods about them – but chief among Edwards' objections from the interview was the subject of race, which Markle said contributed to her having suicidal thoughts. 

"It’s unacceptable, obviously. It's heartbreaking to hear what she went through, what she’s still going through," Edwards said. 

"[Meghan's] a new mom, know what I mean? Just got married. This should be a fun time in her life. She should be enjoying her family, enjoying her baby, but this is what she has to deal with.

"I think that’s part of the UK. There's racism, but it’s very hush racism, right? It’s not like in America, where there’s blatant racism sometimes. In the UK, it’s very down low racism. But it's there, and it's sad to see in 2021."

Quite predictably, the Harry and Meghan interview has proved a very divisive subject in the UK, with reaction split between Royal loyalists and others who bemoan the overt influence of what they claim is an archaic institution.

Edwards appears to fall in the latter camp. "You can’t keep an old monarchy in 2021," he said.

"You can’t do that. They need to come up to date with the times. I wish [Meghan] well and hopefully she can get through it."

Edwards was speaking ahead of what will be his first UFC fight since July 2019 this weekend when he takes on solid welterweight contender Belal Muhammad, fighting after previous opponent Khamzat Chimaev was forced to withdraw after experiencing prolonged complications from a Covid-19 diagnosis.