Johnny Marr shows support for Meghan Markle with joke about royal family

Indie-rock legend Johnny Marr has waded into the row over Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s exit from the royal family in typically irreverent fashion.

The Smiths guitarist has become known for his outspoken views over the past 30 years, taking on Conservative prime ministers, Donald Trump and his own former bandmate Morrissey.

Following Harry and Meghan’s explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey, Marr went on social media to voice support for the Duchess of Sussex by posting a photoshopped image of her wearing a T-shirt showing the front cover of the Smiths’ classic 1986 album The Queen is Dead.

The guitarist also lent his support to so-called “woke” ideology - a term which originated in Black American social justice movements but has increasingly been used by right-wing commentators as a derogatory term for supporters of left-wing or progressive politics.

To be “woke” simply means to be aware of injustices in society concerning social and racial issues.

In response to a tweet warning that the so-called “Woke War” being waged by right-wing media figures was “becoming sinister and McCarthyite” (a reference to the widespread crackdown on supposed communists in 1950s America), Marr wrote “Viva Woke”:

That comment itself may be an indirect reference to Morrissey’s Viva Hate album, especially following the singer’s recent support for far-right figures such as Tommy Robinson.

Marr’s tweet is not the first time that he’s expressed criticism for the royal family, as the guitarist said in 2011 that he would not accept a knighthood from the Queen if he was offered one.

He added:

“I have a few problems with the monarchy – from serious to less serious.

“One of them is why does she [the Queen] have to deal with her subjects with such a sour face? Surely her life can’t be that hard.

"As one of her subjects, whatever that means, I can’t think of too many examples of overt empathy and compassion – they just don’t come to mind.”

In response to his tweet on Wednesday evening, fans also offered up some of their own suggestions for Smiths T-shirts they wanted to see other famous figures wear:

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