British broadcaster Danny Baker was fired on Thursday by the BBC over his "stupid unthinking gag" on Twitter about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's newborn son, Archie.
The now deleted tweet, which has been circulated on social media, showed a black and white photo of a couple holding hands with a chimpanzee dressed in clothes with the caption: "Royal Baby leaves hospital".
The 61-year-old presenter was accused of mocking the Duchess of Sussex's racial heritage.
A BBC spokesperson said: "This was a serious error of judgment."
"Soon as those good enough to point out its possible connotations got in touch, down it came. And that's it."
Earlier, Baker told his half a million followers on Twitter that he has been doorstepped by reporters at his home, saying he was asked: "Do you think black people look like monkeys?"
His tweet added: "No mate. Gag pic. Posh baby chimp. Alerted to circs. Appalled. Deleted. Apologised."