South African composer Lebohang Morake doesn't remember talking to the Duchess of Sussex about Nelson Mandela at the “Lion King” musical premiere.
Morake - who is known professionally as Lebo M - spoke to the Duke of Sussex and his wife at the red carpet event in London in 2019, but insists he has no recollection of mentioning the late leader after Markle claimed a South African member of the cast told her: "When you married into this (the royal) family, we rejoiced in the streets the same we did when Mandela was freed from prison."
Morake - who composed the music for the stage show - told MailOnline: "Indeed I was at 'The Lion King' 2019 premier and met the royals. 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.
Watch video:
"I’m the only South African directly associated with both ‘The Lion King’ films and the Broadway productions."
Video footage of Morake's meeting with the couple has emerged online and shows him telling her: "It’s an honour to meet you. Everyone in South Africa’s heard of Meghan Markle," before Prince Harry moved on to talking about their planned trip to South Africa.
The duchess of Sussex made her claim about the exchange with an unnamed South African cast member in her interview with The Cut magazine, telling the publication: "He looked at me, and he’s just like light. He said, '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'."
Mandela's grandson, Zwelivelile 'Mandla' Mandela, subsequently insisted the royal wedding could not be compared to Madiba's heroic journey, telling MailOnline: "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."
Mandela died in 2013 aged 95.