Denise Welch clashes with Coleen Nolan on Loose Women after Meghan Markle debate

Denise Welch and Coleen Nolan had a difficult on-air exchange on Loose Women following a guest’s declaration about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

On Monday’s episode (6 May) of the daytime ITV programme, royal expert Dickie Arbiter joined the panel to provide some commentary on the monarchy’s recent developments, including the King’s return to work after his cancer diagnosis, as well as the Princess of Wales’s cancer announcement.

When asked his thoughts on whether the family could reconcile with Harry in light of his public estrangement from them, Arbiter, 83, was doubtful.

“Harry has been rubbishing the family since he walked out in 2020,” he said, before noting the Duke of Sussex’s various TV interviews and best-selling memoir, detailing his issues with the family. “We had in 2021, Oprah; we had at the end of ’22, six hours of Netflix, and then we had at the beginning of ’23, 600 pages of Spare.”

However, Welch, 65, was defensive of the Duke and Duchess, who have lived in California since 2020.

“We did, Dickie, but I may say, as well, do you not think there is a reason why Harry did such a thing?” Welch began, before noting her sympathies for the difficult life events he has experienced, including the death of his mother and the introduction of Queen Camilla to his family.

Addressing Arbiter, Welch said: “This young boy, who witnesses the death of his mother, who is forced to walk publicly, in front of the world, behind his dead mother’s coffin, and accept this woman that he doesn’t like as his stepmother – then he has a wife who is continually trashed by the media, including your good self, if I may say – when she is on a world stage, doing a lot of good for a lot of people, before she met this guy.

“And I am just sick to death of the bashing that this woman gets,” she continued. “Everybody’s happy to say the bashing that the other royal family members get, hardly any of you mention Andrew. And yet we continually, every day, berate this woman. And I think when her children grow up and see what she goes through, I think Harry had a bloody good reason to write that book in my opinion.”

As the studio audience applauded Welch’s speech, Arbiter replied that he was “not going to argue” with her, and suggested that the panellist had read “too many tabloid stories”.

“No, I haven’t, and don’t disrespect me for saying that,” Welch shot back. “Because I have read a lot about Meghan before, as well, and I think it’s a disgrace, the way she’s treated.”

In an attempt to end Welch and Arbiter’s exchange, Nolan jumped in to redirect the conversation.

“Well listen, we don’t want to come on here and have a debate, really. We want to know how is Charles doing now, what is the future for Charles. It’s not a debate.”

However, Welch was quick to disagree with Nolan, and noted that it was her right to voice her opinions.

“Don’t have a guest on... I can say what I like, Coleen!”

“I’m not saying you can’t!” Nolan replied.

The conversation soon concluded with Arbiter stating his belief that the Sussexes would need to make a public apology for reconciliation to take place, with Welch noting that the couple may not feel the need to say sorry for publicly expressing their discontent.

On social media, fans shared their mixed opinions on the tense moment. For some, the exchange between panellists was an uncomfortable watch, with one viewer writing: “Just watching Loose Women, Denise Welch, no professionalism shown towards Coleen Nolan, no need for rudeness!”

However, others were thrilled by the debate. One viewer wrote on X/Twitter: “That was probably the best five minutes of Loose Women I’ve seen in a long time. More of Denise. Less of Coleen mediating.”

Loose Women airs weekdays on ITV1 at 12.30pm.