All of those Sussex-bashing quotes from Nelson Mandela’s granddaughter? A lie.

One of the most obvious and desperate tactics from the British media is to find and pay random people to bash the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. It happened with Thomas Markle and the whole White Markle clan. It happened when Prince Harry was invited to speak at the United Nations for Nelson Mandela Day too – even though Harry was invited by the Mandela Foundation, the British media paid a Mandela relative to bash Harry.

Currently, the Sussexes have executive produced Live to Lead, which was “inspired by” Nelson Mandela, and produced in conjunction with the Mandela Foundation. Which means that this week, Camilla Tominey at the Telegraph published a story full of “quotes” from Nelson Mandela’s granddaughter Ndileka Mandela, quotes like “Harry needs to be authentic and stick to his own story, what relevance does grandad’s life have with his? I don’t believe he nor Meghan have ever properly met granddad… but they are using his quotations in the documentary to draw in people and make millions without the Mandela family benefiting.” Ndileka Mandela is also quoted by Tominey as saying Harry and Meghan are “tedious” for using Mandela’s name and quotes. Except… the real Ndileka Mandela has spoken out and said that she never said any of that.

Nelson Mandela’s granddaughter Ndileka Mandela isn’t sure why people are “making a mountain out of a mole hill” over Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s use of the late social justice activist’s quotes. Prince Harry and Markle released their second project with Netflix Dec. 31. “Live to Lead” profiles several social justice leaders, including U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, climate activist Greta Thunberg, Gloria Steinem and lawyer Bryan Stevenson.

However, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex credited Nelson Mandela as the inspiration for the docuseries.

Fox News Digital can confirm that Ndileka hasn’t criticized Markle or Harry for the use of her grandfather in the opening to the show.

“I’ve watched the first two episodes of this ‘Live to Lead,’” Ndileka told Fox News Digital. “I honestly don’t find anything wrong with them using that opening thing inspirational with a quote of granddad. I just think that people are making a … mountain out of a mole hill, and they’re wanting to persecute Meghan and Harry for no reason, honestly,” she added. “I mean, Meghan has always been an activist, and this is in her activism work which my grandfather was, he was, a social justice activist through and through.”

Ndileka emphasized that Nelson Mandela launched his political career through “social activism” and compared the journey to Prince Harry and Markle’s.

“And his enter point into politics was through social activism, which is exactly what Meghan and Harry are doing. Like I said early on, a lot of people use granddad’s quotes, and nobody has been made such a big rah-rah as they are making out of Harry and Meghan using this quotation.”

[From Fox News]

So after a day full of headlines about “the Mandela family slams the Sussexes,” it turns out that Nelson Mandela’s granddaughter never said any of what Tominey reported. It turns out Ndileka Mandela is totally fine with the Sussexes being inspired by her grandfather and producing Live to Lead in concert with the Mandela Foundation. Weird. I wonder if this denial will get picked up with the same ferocity as the false quotes?

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid, Instar, Netflix.

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50 Responses to “All of those Sussex-bashing quotes from Nelson Mandela’s granddaughter? A lie.”

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  1. Emily_C says:

    A right-wing British tabloid writer make things up out of whole cloth? Why that is so completely unheard of! Next people will try to tell me the sun rises in the east.

  2. Brit says:

    These journalists and lackeys are flailing and they don’t know what to do. They kept attacking Meghan but it was Harry they needed to be worried about. Nothing they’ve done has worked from the threats, lies, bullying etc and they’re not scared. They’re perplexed and desperate. Harry exposed the whole charade and this story was supposed to their revenge but it backfired. Last thing, does anyone get the sense that some people are relived that the truth is coming about William? I’ve been getting the sense that parts of the media have been over William for some time now.

  3. OriginalLaLa says:

    whoa, that’s bonkers. Can she sue? I can’t imagine the hubris to publish made up quotes and name someone who has never uttered them…bonkers.

  4. girl_ninja says:

    I was waiting for this to be covered. There is no journalism on salt island, only liars who use the shield of the news. Camilla Tominey is repulsive, I look forward to seeing her getting her comeuppance as much as Piss Morgan.

    • Becks1 says:

      She really has no qualms, does she? She just flat out made up quotes and attributed them to Mandela’s granddaughter. How is she still employed?!?!

    • Couch potato says:

      They’re doing the same thing over and over again, just as H&M talked about. Bad news about Willnot = make up a shit story about Meghan (and Harry in this instance). They’re counting on the plebs reading the first headline only, not retractions. Write the lies enough times and it becomes the truth to thr majority.

    • Jais says:

      Is CT’s article still up? This seems really crazy.

  5. HarryforLife says:

    The worst part was the double hatred and mysoginoir in the fake quotes… made her look like she was mad because she didn’t get her “cut” of money. Attacked H&M and a woman of color also. Like a game of racist/liar bingo.

  6. Amy Bee says:

    The CEO of the Nelson Mandela Foundation was on South African TV explaining how Archewell got involved and they have another 9 interviews that they hope to air. The British press won’t be satisfied until they destroy Harry and Meghan’s careers.

    • dee(2) says:

      Bingo. In addition to always trying to go for the ” even black people hate them” angle to excuse their racism, the end goal is to make them unpalatable for others to work with. I don’t understand this as a long term goal anymore though, if this was early or even late 2020 maybe, but at this point M&H have definitely had a reputation that proceeds them when it comes to work ethic. People can see the quality output and anyone that works with them speaks to their professionalism. It’s why the Wales’ aren’t successful, its working in reverse for them.

  7. Vera says:

    Off topic but on what planet is a Supreme Court justice a social justice activist?? 😅

    • MsIam says:

      I guess you need to watch the documentary. RBG’s early career was with the ACLU specializing in gender equality issues. She was about it, not just some stodgy bureaucrat.

    • Eurydice says:

      The piece says “social justice leaders” about all those profiled. Mandela is called an activist.

    • dee(2) says:

      One where before they sit on the court they argue 7 cases in front of it on gender equality. If you have ever heard someone phrase something as being illegal ” on the basis of sex” RBG and the case brought before the court is why.

    • Jan says:

      You have to watch the episode with RBG and do a little reading up on her history, then rejoin the conversation.
      Imagine leaving Law School and not getting hired by any Law Firm, because you’re a woman.

    • Christina says:

      RBG helped establish women’s equality in the US as an attorney. She took cases that helped establish equal treatment of men and women.

    • SA says:

      RBG was the real deal for gender equality for women And men in the eyes of the law. She championed for husbands being able to receive support for minor children if they are widowed. (Child care, housing, school) Previously only women were able to access those SS funds if a spouse died. A family friend was widowed years ago when his kids were very young, he was able to access his wife’s SS funds until the kids turned 18. I never thought anything of it at the time until I saw the RBG movie and realized she was the one responsible!

    • ariel says:

      I think you did not actually watch the episode with Justice Ginsberg. She dedicated her career as an attorney to gender equality.
      There was footage of her testifying (pre-USSC appt, obv) before congress about gender equality and “protection” laws- which were laws discriminating against women- women being disallowed – by law- to engage in certain professions. And then you hear this senator’s voice, and at 50, i am old enough to remember arlen spector of PA- what a total POS he was- talking down to Mrs. Ginsberg. I know he is long dead- but that footage made me want to punch him in the face.

    • SJP-NYC says:

      Seriously? RBG was a goddess and fought for equal rights for women and men. Many of rights I enjoy today are because of her fight. I think you might want to do a little research.

    • Saucy&Sassy says:

      Vera, obviously you know nothing about RBG. You must get your information from the present day US Supreme Court. You probably only think sitting members of the Court can espouse beliefs in the social justice realm. You know the ones I’m talking about. They believe in oppressing woman and poc and limiting voters rights to name a few.

  8. Bitsycs says:

    This is incredibly bonkers, even for the british tabloids. Where did these quotes come from then? Totally made up?!

    • MsIam says:

      Camilla Tominey tried to link the Hubb Kitchen ladies to terrorism. Also she’s the one behind the made up Kate crying story. This is par for the course for her. She’s a professional character assassin and liar.

  9. Laura D says:

    No surprise at all but, I couldn’t resist posting on her Twitter “You know you’re in trouble when you’re fact checked by Fox News” 😆 😆 😆

    How she has the nerve to call herself a journalist is beyond me. She really needs to get herself some half-decent sources because the ones she has are embarrassing her on a global scale.

    • Thelma says:

      Brilliant! It’s just unbelievable. Can we get #CamillaTommineyisaliar trending?!

      Or write to her editor?

      • Laura D says:

        @Thelma – it was trending last night. It was a joy to behold. I was fully expecting her to block me but, nah she’s either not seen it or decided I’m too far down the food chain to matter. 😆

      • Babz says:

        It trends on Twitter every time she does an article, and has been for a couple of years. I don’t know what goes on in her head, but what comes out is usually lies, and Twitter drags her for it every time – and rightfully so.

  10. Brassy Rebel says:

    As long as the person quoted is attributed properly and the quote is accurate, why would anyone object? They wouldn’t, and Mandela’s granddaughter didn’t. Since lots of people are quoted like this ALL THE TIME, it never made sense that she ever objected in the first place. So I just ignored the first breathless story and waited for the facts. Sure enough!

  11. Seaflower says:

    The article saying they didn’t have permission was running in the Sydney Morning Herald today ( a supposedly reputable paper here). It got taken down very quickly.

  12. Jan says:

    Camilla the liar living up to her name,the Sussexes said they were doing projects with the Mandela Foundation.
    You have to really suck, when Faux News call you a liar.
    The BM was trying to say the New Zealand Prime Minister, was trying to walk back from the series, and she came out and said, she stand by her episode.
    The series is really good, some episodes are sad and inspiring.

  13. Snarkle says:

    They’ve used her name multiple times and attributed quotes to her regarding Harry’s Mandela Foundation speech and the Netflix show. Seems strange she hasn’t flat out denied the quotes if untrue. Maybe she’s getting pushback after getting paid for the quotes?

    • Jan says:

      I thought it was a grandson, who is not part of the Foundation, that was paid.
      You, do know the Mandela Foundation asked Harry to give that Speech at the UN.

    • Snarkle says:

      ETA I am in no way justifying the toxic pathological bigot that is Camilla Tominey or thinking she wouldn’t do the most to be the lowest despicable “human”. I’m wondering why there hasn’t been clear denials about the quotes.

      @Jan you’re right, I think it was the grandson. Thx

    • SAS says:

      Is it possible she never saw them? Not everyone has google alerts set up for themselves and Camilla Tominey isn’t exactly a high profile journalist from what I understand. If she and her circle are pretty out of the Royal sphere I can understand why it wouldn’t be getting forwarded to her immediately. I’d never hear any of this unhinged mess if I didn’t read CB!

  14. HarryforLife says:

    Also, as a side note, the Live to Lead series is fire🔥 and I’m proud of them for still engaging in advocacy. If you look at their old Insta (SussexRoyal) you see just how much/hard they worked when they were senior members. Nice they can still do what they love, but be free too.

  15. Plums says:

    #CamillaTomineyIsALiar is probably thanking her lucky stars that Spare started leaking and so pushed away whatever stories would have happened in the royal news cycle about her literally inventing quotes from Nelson Mandela’s family for a story bashing the completely unobjectionable Live to Lead.

  16. Katie says:

    This woman won an award for column writing this year. She is considered mainstream in the British press ecosystem and yet feels comfortable inventing quotes. Insane.

  17. Laura D says:

    Delete this if I’m wrong but, wasn’t the Mandela family instrumental in getting Harry’s invite to the speak at the UN? If so, surely someone at The Telegraph would have reminded #CamillaTomineyIsALiar and asked her to double-down on her sources? I know she’s a senior journalist at the paper but, come on, an article as contentious as this one should have been thoroughly scrutinised before hitting the send button.

    • Kingston says:

      @Laura D

      Those of us who dont live in the definitely-not-democratic/but-not-quite-a-dictatorship-(yet) that is the british society, cant fully grasp the fact that the 4th Estate, that pillar of a stable democracy, doesnt really exist in britain.

      So we continuously make the mistake of thinking that even if a rogue reporter (jnr or snr) submits a story that fails to meet journalistic standards, that an editorial team would be there to never allow it to see the light of day.

      But this is britain. There is no journalistic standard. The sooner we accept that, the sooner we stop expecting decency from any part of british media. At least we trhre will always be those fleeting opportunities to be pleasantly surprised when any part of the britshidtmedia actually does ‘journalism.’

  18. Gabrielle says:

    But she wasn’t lying though. Ndileka Mandela gave an interview to The Australian where she said those quotes and she then gave an interview to Fox News where she said something different. Camilla Tominey was reporting on The Australian interview, she wasn’t the first to claim she said those quotes.

    Isn’t it strange that a magazine would literally make up a whole interview that never happened and then attribute those quotes to someone who never said them, and that the person who was allegedly interviewed wouldn’t flat-out deny the interview? Wouldn’t she begin by saying the interview never happened and the quotes are fake, to late show support for Harry and Meghan?

    • Saucy&Sassy says:

      Gabrielle, you’re not the first to suggest this. Now if we are to believe that she did say what CT says, then you have to wonder why the next interview to Fox where she said something very different this question wasn’t raised? She didn’t need to say it specifically, because what she did say was diametrically opposed to what CT wrote.

      Geez, people, are we now going to be questioning the people who have no need to lie to btm for a living? Why don’t we just believe what she says when she says it for the world to hear.

  19. tamsin says:

    I’m still side-eying the grand daughter a bit. Tominey may have twisted some of her words, but perhaps she regrets some of the things she said, too. Perhaps, originally she wasn’t in full support of Harry and Meghan’s involvement. “Making mountains out of a molehill” makes me think she created a little molehill and lives to regret it.

    • Laura D says:

      And therein lies the problem with Tominey’s reporting.
      1. Meghan made Kate cry – when it was Kate who made Kate cry
      2. Archie is a voracious reader – when in fact Meghan said he was voracious about her reading to him and asking her to read it again/
      3. The Grenfell cookbook being linked to terrorism – which was of course an absolute load of nonsense.

      So, even if the grand-daughter had said something Tominey would spin it so it sounded 10 worse which is probably why she told Fox News Tominey was making a mountain out of a molehill.

      Sorry, but, I still can’t believe I’m using Fox News as a credible source. 😆 😆 😆

      • Saucy&Sassy says:

        Laura D, who thought that either of us would be saying this: I’m using fox News as a credible source? In this case, however, I it’s true.

        I totally agree that people need to stop giving CT ANY credibility at all.

  20. Petra (Brazen Archetyped Pheomenal Woman) says:

    Lying Camilla Tominey is at it again. Any media that invites Camilla Tominey to participate with their work are saying they are okay with her actions.

  21. JJ says:

    It made no sense to me that Nelson Mandela’s granddaughter would say that crap against Live To Lead considering that the program was co-produced by the Mandela Foundation. Also, they aren’t talking about Nelson throughout the series. They quote him in the beginning of each episode but everyone quotes Nelson Mandela because as long as you say “Nelson Mandel says…” it’s perfectly fine to do so. These “royal reporters” are exposing themselves as storytellers and not reporters.

  22. Sybil says:

    Camilla Tominey is a proven liar – drops mike

  23. Saucy&Sassy says:

    I read an interesting article before this came out. The director, Blackwell, and his wife (?) came up with the concept and they are the ones who contacted the Nelson Mandela Foundation. I wouldn’t be surprised if that is who put Archewell and Blackwell together.

    Can I say that Blackwell is an extremely good director? The best thing I’ve heard is that there are 9 more to see.

  24. Nuks says:

    Totally pro-Sussex here, but isn’t this a non-denial denial?