DAME Deborah James hit back at grumbling critics after joking she couldn’t die over the Jubilee weekend because Prince Harry and Meghan Markle would steal her limelight.
Trending In The News writer was still able to raise a smile on Saturday despite receiving end-of-life care due to incurable bowel cancer.
The 40-year-old told Trending In The News she was “determined not to die over the Jubilee weekend”, adding: “I don’t want Meghan stealing my thunder.”
But critics were quick to hit back, with some appearing to miss the joke.
One person wrote on Twitter: “Lots of really horrible comments about H&M when they have nothing to do with this and have kept a low profile.
“Making an inappropriate joke about them has allowed the haters to voice their opinions.”
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Deborah, who recently celebrated her brother’s engagement, later took to the platform to defend the Jubilee fun – explaining it was “a joke”.
The mum-of-two wrote: “Meghan comment is a joke, apparently you can still find a send off fun in your day!”
She added: “The rest is not. Is dying the last taboo of them all? I thought poo talk was hard, but navigating end-of-life care makes checking your poo easy by comparison of DNR chat and respect documents!”
Meanwhile, fans were quick to show their support, with one person commenting: “Of course it was a joke. It’s dark humour and how many of us have made a joke when in the GP surgery etc.
“Sadly there are lots of people who just don’t get that humour and take everything literally, then you have to explain it all and it’s so exasperating.”
Another said: “I thought it was a witty comment and I think it’s great you are being so honest with us all.
“It shows it’s ok to talk about poo, about death and about your personal wishes. Love your sense of humour, please don’t change.”
Prince Harry, 37, and Meghan Markle, 40, arrived back in California yesterday after jetting home before the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee ended.
But despite fears they could overshadow the Queen, the Sussexes were barely visible in public during the four-day celebration.
They were pictured shushing younger royals in the Major General’s Office at Trooping the Colour on Thursday.
And a thanksgiving service at St Paul’s Cathedral on Friday was the only time they were seen in public with their family as they sat on the second row, 25ft from William, Kate, Charles and Camilla.
It comes after Deborah enjoyed her own royal whirlwind last month when Wills cleared his diary to present her with a damehood at her parents’ home.
She has since told of the highs and lows of her final days, admitting: “Dying is really hard. I’ve been consumed by anger this week, in all honesty, I’ve been a real b***h.
“I keep shouting at people and pushing them away. I’m angry at what’s happening to me. I don’t want to die.”
She added: “I don’t want my friends to see me like this.
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“I don’t want them to remember me this way.”
So far, Debs has raised a staggering £6.6MILLION — with another £1million raised from the sale of her Rebellious Hope T-shirts, pre-sales of her second book How To Live When You Could Be Dead, and a rose named in her honour.
