Meghan Markle calls Halifax MP Holly Lynch after supportive letter criticising 'colonial undertones'

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex hold their son Archie during a meeting with Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Mrs Tutu at their legacy foundation in cape Town, on day three of their tour of Africa. Toby Melville/PA Wire

Some 72 MPs signed the letter to American former actress Meghan Markle, which criticised "outdated, colonial undertones" in articles by some national press outlets.

-> Time’s up as Meghan Markle shows bullies are on wrong side of history as Duke and Duchess of Sussex take on media – Clair Challenor-ChadwickSpeaking today to ITV, Ms Lynch said: "I got a phone call, it was Buckingham Palace asking me was I available to speak to the Duchess of Sussex.

"She was calling to thank myself and other women MPs for standing with her, sending her the open letter to say we as women in public office absolutely understand what she's going through.

Holly Lynch. Picture by Bruce Rollinson.

"Although in very different public roles, we stand with her in solidarity to say we shouldn't be tearing down women in public life through the press or otherwise.

"And so yes, she was pleased to have seen that letter.

The Labour MP added: "As a fairly new mum myself the challenges of both being in the public eye, managing childcare, managing public responsibilities can all be a challenge, so we did discuss that.

"We were quite happy to stand with her and recognise what she's going through, [and] on occasion has had xenophobic undertones. We're not happy about that at all.

"We stand with her in challenging in that and we look to do all we can at this end if some of our national press do not have healthier, shall we say, interests in her life."

Probed as to whether the MP thought that some national reports had "colonial racist undertones" to them, she said:"I do, I've been really concerned about some of the narratives, some of the articles that have been incredibly sexist but also that she is not from this country she's from elsewhere and we're not happy about that - I'm afraid that's unacceptable in this day and age.

"She's here, she's married our Prince, they've got a young son, we really want to welcome her to our society and I'm afraid not all of the articles in our national press really reflect that and it's time that that stops."

It comes after Prince Harry launched an extraordinary and personal attack on the British tabloid press and its treatment of his wife, saying he could no longer be a “silent witness to her private suffering”.