Joan Collins comments on Meghan and Harry’s return to the UK and THAT ‘diva’ label

Dame Joan Collins has thrown shade on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex ahead of their first appearance in the UK since the Platinum Jubilee.

Appearing on ITV’s Good Morning Britain on Monday, the actress, 89, spoke to hosts Martin Lewis and Susanna Reid to promote her new musical film Tomorrow Morning.

But when asked if she had any comments to make about ‘other Duchesses’ at the moment, Dame Joan jokingly quipped: ‘Who could that be? I have no idea.’

She then asked Martin and Susanna: ‘Do we need to give any of them more oxygen?’

Shady: Dame Joan Collins has commented on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex ahead of their first appearance in the UK since the Platinum Jubilee, asking if we need to give them ‘oxygen’

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have arrived in the UK for the first time since the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in June.

The Sussexes are travelling to Manchester on Monday where Meghan, 41, is due to give a speech on gender equality at the One Young World 2022 Summit which brings together young leaders from more than 190 countries. 

Dame Joan also commented on Meghan’s worry over Mariah Carey calling the Duchess a ‘diva’ on her Archetypes podcast.

Susanna told Joan: ‘She’s over at the moment. She took exception to being called a diva by Mariah Carey.’ 

The actress responded: ‘Oh really? I think it’s rather nice to be called a diva, now and again. I mean, it’s supposed to be a compliment.’

Beaming: Appearing on ITV’s Good Morning Britain on Monday, the actress, 89, spoke to Martin Lewis and Susanna Reid to promote her new musical film Tomorrow Morning

A shocked Meghan had said the label levelled at her by the pop superstar during their podcast conversation had made her ‘sweat’ and ‘stopped her in her tracks’.

In a voiceover at the end of Meghan’s second Archetypes episode, released by Spotify on Tuesday, the duchess said the remark left her worried about the ‘nonsense’ Carey might have read about her.

On Friday, Mariah tweeted about what she meant when she called Meghan a diva, as well as posting a link to the podcast.

‘Really enjoyed talking to Duchess and Diva Meghan Markle about ‘The Duality of Diva.’ Yes! I called her a diva, in the most fabulous, gorgeous, and empowering meaning of the word!!! #Archetypes,’ she wrote.

 Return: Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have arrived in the UK for the first time since the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in June (pictured leaving the National Service of Thanksgiving)

Joan plays the role of glamorous grandmother Anna in her latest film Tomorrow Morning which is being released on Tuesday.

In the romantic film, she looks incredible as she wears a blonde wig which she purchased for $150 (£130) in New York some time ago.

She also revealed that she memorised all the wrong lines for her role just five minutes before filming commenced.

Her agent had not been given the new script – so she said she did a ‘Marlon Brando’ and read her lines written on various props all over the set.

Harry and Meghan are believed to have arrived at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor on Saturday ahead of their European tour which will see them also visit Dusseldorf in Germany for the Invictus Games One Year To Go ceremony.

The property is located just 380 feet away from the Cambridges’ new four-bedroom Adelaide Cottage, where William and Kate spent the weekend with their children. 

It is understood the Sussexes and event organisers have arranged security for their appearance in Manchester on Monday after Harry was told he was no longer entitled to taxpayer-funded official armed police bodyguards. 

Harry is suing the Home Office, claiming that the removal of his taxpayer-funded armed police protection bodyguards since they quit as frontline royals is ‘unfair’, ‘illegal’ and puts his family at risk.

Chat: Martin Lewis and Susannah Reid (pictured left) spoke to Dame Joan Collins about her upcoming film Tomorrow Morning on Monday