People are saying the Daily Mail are making a racist pun on their front page

The Daily Mail are asking the question ““Why do I have niggling worry about this engagement picture?” and many are remarking that the choice of the “niggling” word has been picked as a reference to both Meghan’s racial ancestry and to make a plausibly deniable pun.

Here’s just six people picking up on this and there’s loads more if you just search.

1. “The word ‘niggling’ is not an accident.” writes @Shckldg.

2. “Yeah, I think we know what your “niggling worry” is, #DailyMail – you’re racist. Sod off. M x” says @Burgessmoon.

3.“I legit thought they were dropping the N Bomb then! Niggling. The word is niggling, Matt. Anyway, to answer your question: it’s because she’s not white. I’m right, aren’t I?!” says @Matthewben.

4. “What she’s really thinking begins with ‘nigg–‘ Could she make it any more obvious??” says @__nickrhodes__.

5. “Given the sort of abuse she’s gotten on that dirt rags social media outlets was ‘niggling’ really the wisest of choices as a header? It’s a bit of a stretch to get to the N word from it, but still there’s a plethora of better options in the English language.” writes @Jpearce2911.

6. “I don’t think dog-whistle journalism can sink lower than a columnist for the best selling newspaper in the country writing of her ‘niggling’ concerns over the first black member of the Royal Family.” says @Dmreporter.

Our prediction is the Daily Mail will get two bits of this cherry by running a column defending the word and pointing out that it has no racial history. Which is true, but that’s not how puns works.

And we also wonder if it’s not just The Daily Mail who are slipping into plausibly deniable racist puns.

Putting “black and blue” next to this photo made us wince.