Lion King composer ‘doesn’t remember’ talking about Nelson Mandela with Meghan Markle

It’s the stunning declaration that lit up Twitter with #meganmarkleisaliar and now a second star has cast doubt on the claim.

Meghan Markle’s claim South Africans celebrated her royal wedding in a similar way to Nelson Mandela’s release from prison has again been thrown into question.

Lion King composer Lebohang Morake says he “doesn’t remember” talking about Nelson Mandela with Meghan Markle despite the Duchess of Sussex’s claim.

In a recent interview with US magazine The Cut, the royal said a South African actor had made the comparison at The Lion King’s 2019 premiere in London.

Meghan Markle’s recollection is under question.

Dr John Kani, a veteran of the Royal Shakespeare Company voiced the mandrill shaman Rafiki in Disney’s remake of The Lion King, yesterday said the duchess must be “mis-remembering” what happened.

The acclaimed actor said he was “the only South African in the cast” and did not even attend the West End premiere – prompting questions about Markle’s “baffling” claim.

That lit Twitter on fire with #meganmarkleisaliar and generated comments including “We South Africans stand together when someone lies about our country”.

Now Mr Morake said he spoke to Markle “less than a minute” at the London launch and didn’t remember discussing the historic South African leader.

Actor and director John Kani says the duchess must be “mis-remembering”.

He told the MailOnline: “I cannot comment on the matter as it was three years ago and I don’t remember details of that conversation which was less than a minute, except the Royals were going to South Africa or Botswana.

“I’m the only South African directly associated with both The Lion King films and the Broadway productions.”

The Grammy winner added: “As a South African, I’m not sure if this is important to most of us facing serious domestic issues.

“I’d like to not be dragged into this issue from three years ago either way.”

Meghan Markle at her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry. Picture: AFP

Nelson Mandela’s grandson has also slammed the claim.

Zwelivelile “Mandla” Mandela said: “It can never be compared to the celebration of someone’s wedding.

“Madiba’s celebration was based on overcoming 350 years of colonialism with 60 years of a brutal apartheid regime in South Africa. So it cannot be equated to as the same.

Nelson Mandela and wife Winnie, walking hand-in-hand, raise clenched fists upon his release from Victor prison, Cape Town, in this Sunday, February 11, 1990. Picture: AP

Referring to Markle, he said: “Every day there are people who want to be Nelson Mandela, either comparing themselves with him or wanting to emulate him.

“But before people can regard themselves as Nelson Mandelas, they should be looking into the work that he did and be able to be champions and advocates of the work that he himself championed.”

Originally published as Lion King composer ‘doesn’t remember’ talking about Nelson Mandela with Meghan Markle