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Gayle King slammed for asking if Prince Philip died of natural causes: ‘Suppose she thinks they pulled the plug’

King enquired live on-air, 'Have you heard anything about exactly what happened? Was it just natural causes?' Following this, many on Twitter have criticized her, questioning the intention of such an inquiry

American television personality Gayle King, the anchor of ‘CBS This Morning’, has been a part of controversies surrounding the royal family ever since Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, gave their tell-all interview to Oprah Winfrey, King’s friend. Now, the 66-year-old has come under fire for asking a reporter whether 99-year-old Prince Philip had died of natural causes.

“He was at the hospital and when he was released people were feeling really good, they were thinking he was getting better,” King said while speaking with the network’s London correspondent, Charles D’Agata. “I know when you’re 99 you never know how much longer you have, but people are feeling pretty good when he left the hospital.” 

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She then asked: “Have you heard anything about exactly what happened? Was it just natural causes? I realize it’s early in the story and it’s just breaking there.” D’Agata responded with, “I think we all have a sense of relief when a person as old as he is goes to the hospital and then spends about a month and undergoes a heart procedure you’re not thinking it’s going to turn out great.”

He added, “We were all pleasantly surprised when he left. In terms of whether they knew he was nearing the end, we don’t know.”

The official statement from Buckingham Palace on the death of Prince Philip read: “It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen announces the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle.”

While the conversation on air was innocuous enough, King was the target of several harsh comments on Twitter after the video was shared there. “Why would Gayle think it might not be death by natural causes? He died ‘peacefully this morning’ at home after a long hospitalization at 99. Also, why do most reporters not know what ‘natural causes’ means?” asked a Twitter user. 

“Why do you keep someone like @GayleKing on your books?? How vile of her to question how Prince Philip died.......he was 99, had been in hospital only a few weeks ago and undergone heart surgery!! What is that evil woman trying to suggest?? Be better @CBSThisMorning,” said another Twitter user. One Twitter user wrote, “Just goes to show yr bloody ignorance @GayleKing You and yr ‘friend’ @Oprah are blatantly NOT QUALIFIED to comment on anything to do with our culture, heritage and monarchy. Show some respect and keep yr damned mouth shut.”

The outrage against King was strong online. A Twitter user said, “@GayleKing asked today whether Prince Philip ‘died of natural causes’! He was 99, in hospital for a month recently! I suppose she thinks they ‘pulled the plug’! It's much more likely they waited for sufficient recovery from heart surgery to take him home to die as he wanted.” Another said, “Gayle King questioning whether a 99 year old man with a recent history of serious health problems died of natural causes..but believes every word a bizarre easily debunked pack of lies from a confirmed liar and her mute doormat said in a sensationalised interview without question.”

Last month, King mocked the royals for hiring a diversity chief in the wake of Oprah’s interview where Meghan accused the royal family of racism. King said: "It will be curious to see the kind of person they choose" before quickly adding "it seems like fallout to me." She added: "I know you are saying development but it does kind of feel like fallout."