Republican businessman Paul Nehlen was branded 'sick' and a 'creep' after superimposing a picture of Cheddar Man onto Meghan Markle's face.

The Donald Trump supporter tweeted the image, which also featured Prince Harry, with the caption: 'Honey, does this tie make my face look pale?'

His comment follows the news that the oldest skeleton to be found in the UK - which was nicknamed Cheddar Man - was revealed to have dark skin.

Cheddar Man was revealed to have had dark skin by scientists at the Natural History Museum in London

The tweet sparked an online backlash, with Meghan's Suits co-star Patrick J. Adams calling him 'a sad and sick man with no sense of shame or class'.

'Get a life,' he said. 'And don’t go anywhere near MM – she’s got more power, strength, honour and compassion in her fingernail than you’ll ever know in this lifetime. Way above your weight class.'

User @rtinkham accused Mr Nehlen of posting 'racist tweets', writing: 'He’s a creep who has been reported by many to Twitter for his racist tweets.'

A picture featuring Harry and Meghan (pictured posing for engagement pictures in Windsor) was posted with Cheddar Man's face superimposed on the future royal

Mr Nehlen is running to replace Paul Ryan in November's Republican Primary for Wisconsin's 1st congressional district elections.

His tweet came after the London Natural History Museum's Professor Ian Barnes and Dr Selina Brace took hair and skin DNA profiles from the skeleton, which was found at Gough's Cave in Somerset's Cheddar Gorge in 1903.

Cheddar Man's head was reconstructed by model makers Adrie and Alfons Kennis using the 3D printer made for the International Space Station.