© PAThe Duke and Duchess of Sussex meet Graca Machel, widow of the late Nelson Mandela, on the last day of their tour in Africa
Zwelivelile 'Mandla' Mandela has said he was 'surprised' at her remarks in The Cut magazine when she claimed that three years ago a cast member of the Lion King had made the comparison between her royal wedding and Madiba's historic walk to freedom.
He said: '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.'
Referring to Meghan, 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'.
The furore was sparked by a 6,409-word article called 'Meghan of Montecito' published yesterday, where the former Suits star recalled an encounter she had at the 2019 London premiere of a live-action version of the Disney classic.
She said an actor from South Africa pulled her aside and told her: 'I just need you to know: When you married into this family, we rejoiced in the streets the same we did when Mandela was freed from prison'.
But MailOnline has learned that the story has astonished the Mandela family. 'Mandla' Mandela, an MP and Chief of the late South African President's Mvezo tribe, said he was 'surprised' at her remarks.
His grandfather served 27 years in prison before being released and re-uniting opponents and going on to lead his country.
Zwelivelile said when the people of South Africa expressed their joy at his grandfather's release and danced in the streets, it was for a far more important and serious reason than her marriage 'to a white prince'.
The African National Congress MP added: 'We are still bearing scars of the past. But they (Mr Mandela's celebrations) were a product of the majority of our people being brought out onto the streets to exercise the right of voting for the first time.
'He spoke for oppressed minorities, children and women and protracting the most vulnerable people in our society.
'He always spoke about oppressed nations around the globe and yet people are silent on those issues.
'But this is what we like to see (from) people when they regard themselves as being a "Nelson Mandela".
'Then you could be a a champion of the causes that he represented.'
He added: 'My advice to everyone is to live the life Nelson Mandela lived and support the causes he supported.
'That is the ultimate litmus test. What is the value of people dancing in the street and chanting President Nelson Mandela's name when what they stand for is diametrically opposed to what he stood for?
'Nelson Mandela's release from jail was the culmination of nearly 350 years of struggle in which generations of our people paid with their lives. It can never be compared to the celebration of someone's wedding.'
Meghan's claim has sparked rage and ridicule with critics telling her to 'get lost' and accusing her of showing 'utmost disrespect'.
Reacting to MailOnline's exclusive story today, royal expert Angela Levin said: 'How long is Meghan going to pour out her drivel? It's enough already. Not a surprise to learn that Mandela's grandson is cross Meghan compares her wedding to Mandela's release from prison.'
Harry and Meghan have built up quite a relationship with the Mandela family in recent years - following in the footsteps of Harry's parents Prince Charles and Princess Diana.
Just last month, Harry gave a speech at the UN General Assembly for Nelson Mandela Day in New York City on July 18.
The Sussexes met Graca Machel, widow of Mandela, on the last day of their tour of Africa in 2019. Harry also met Ms Machel when he visited South Africa in 2015.
And in 2018, Harry and Meghan met Mandela's granddaughter Zamaswazi Dlamini-Mandela during a visit to the Nelson Mandela centenary exhibition at the Southbank Centre's Queen Elizabeth Hall in London.
Charles and Diana were also close with Mandela. The late Princess of Wales met him in Cape Town in March 1997, while she was in South Africa visiting her brother Earl Spencer.
And Charles took Mandela to Brixton in South London when he visited Britain in July 1996.
In addition, Mandela visited Diana's ancestral home at Althorp in Northamptonshire in November 2002 to see where she was buried.
The Duchess of Sussex, 41, shared the new anecdote in another bombshell interview with a US magazine yesterday - but people have claimed that it was not their experience of what happened on May 19, 2018.
After her claim the hashtag #VoetsekMeghan began trending in South Africa. Voetsek is an Afrikaans word meaning 'go away' or 'get lost' and is a common slur used by millions in the country.
An angry Twitter user said: 'No one was rejoicing in the streets of South Africa when she got married. For her to imply that it was the same as when President Mandela was released is the utmost disrespect'.
Another South African claimed: 'From South Africa, I can promise you 1 thing, nobody but nobody celebrated in the street as with when Mandela was released over a foreign state wedding, yes we watched at home happy for the couple, that was that'.
One critic said: 'Comparing your marriage to Nelson Mandela being released? What a pompous & arrogant thing to say'. Another said: 'Her arrogant and yet delusional comparison of herself to Mandela is yet another insult to South Africa'.
For the full story see here.
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