The South African composer for Disney’s classic film The Lion King has said he ‘doesn’t remember’ talking to Meghan Markle about Nelson Mandela.

Lebohang Morake – Lebo M – who provided choir arrangements and traditional African music for the 1994 film, said he spoke to the Duchess of Sussex for ‘less than a minute’.

Morake’s response comes after Meghan said she had been told by a South African man that the country celebrated her marriage into the Royal Family.

In a recent interview, she claimed to have been told that the country celebrated her marriage to Prince Harry as much as Nelson Mandela’s release from prison.

The man is reported to have said: ‘When you married into this family, we rejoiced in the streets the same we did when Mandela was freed from prison.’

The incident is said to have taken place at the premiere for Disney’s Lion King remake in 2019, though Morake has contradicted her reports, which were given to The Cut earlier this week.

Morake said: ‘Indeed, I was at The Lion King 2019 premiere 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.’

Speaking to MailOnline, he continued by recalling that ‘[the conversation lasted] less than a minute’ and said the Royals told him they were going to South Africa or Botswana.’

Video footage of the big London premiere appears to confirm this. Meghan meets Morake on the red carpet, but the pair never seem to exchange words about Nelson Mandela.

The only South African actor in the cast, John Kani (who voiced Rafiki in the remake), has also denied that he said anything to Meghan about Mandela – and said Meghan has committed a ‘faux pas’ in the interview.

Kani said he didn’t attend the premiere in Leicester Square and, as a result, has also never encountered Meghan or Prince Harry.

He said: ‘I went to Hollywood as we opened there and from there I had to go immediately to Paris where I was shooting a film sequel, so I couldn’t hang around.’

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