Jeremy Clarkson's Meghan Markle comments addressed by Michelle Donelan

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s The Media Show, Michelle Donelan said she was “a believer in free speech” and defended Clarkson's “right to be able to say what he wants" - although she went on to brand them "outrageous".

In his column, published in The Sun newspaper in December, Clarkson, 62, said he “hated” Meghan and dreamed of her being paraded through British towns and publicly shamed, became the Independent Press Standards Organisation’s (Ipso) most complained-about article after its publication last month.

The Sun later said it regretted the publication of the column, while Clarkson said he was “horrified to have caused so much hurt”.

Michelle Donelan (Image: PA)

A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex branded the Sun’s apology as “nothing more than a PR stunt”.

Culture Secretary Ms Donelan told BBC Radio 4’s The Media Show on Wednesday: “I defend his right to be able to say what he wants.

“I believe in freedom of speech very, very strongly. Obviously, we all have to be mindful of what we say and the ramifications of that, but I am a believer of freedom of speech.

“I think that he had the right to say what he wanted to say, but obviously it was going to get the reaction that it got and it was going to concern a number of people.

“I wouldn’t have said what he said and I don’t align myself with the comments that he made, categorically no, of course I don’t.

“We do have to have freedom of press, we do have to have a position where people can air opinions that we don’t all agree with.”

Later, in an interview with The News Agents podcast, she added: “I do think we need to put Clarkson’s comments in context.

“They weren’t illegal. They were outrageous. And he faced a great outcry following them. And he had to apologise very publicly.”