Charlie Hebdo Shocks With Cartoon of Queen Elizabeth Kneeling on Meghan Markle’s Neck

French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo has ignited controversy again with a cover depicting Queen Elizabeth II kneeling on the neck of Meghan Markle in reference to both the British royals’ contentious split and the death of George Floyd in police custody last year. The headlines beside the caricature read, “Why Meghan left Buckingham Palace,” to which the cartoon Markle says, “Because I couldn’t breathe any more.” In her recent interview with Oprah, Markle described racist comments from royal family members and feelings of ostracization. Floyd screamed “I can’t breathe!” in his final moments, which were caught on tape. Anti-racist advocates criticized the cartoon for making light of Floyd’s death and police brutality and called for the current issue to be pulled. Defenders of the publication said the cartoon should remain in circulation, citing Hebdo’s hard-won claim to free speech. The publication’s most notable controversy occurred in 2015 when two Muslim brothers shot and killed a dozen people in the Charlie Hebdo offices in response to its caricatures of the prophet Muhammad.