Mirror Online: LONDON, England – The Royal Family has responded to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, which has plunged the monarchy into its worst crisis for decades.
A statement issued by Buckingham Palace on behalf of Her Majesty The Queen tonight said: “The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan.
“The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. Whilst some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately.
“Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved family members.”
A senior palace source added: “At the heart of all of this there is a family.
“They should be given the opportunity to discuss the issues raised privately, as a family.”
“It has been important for us to carefully consider any response before issuing; and of course releasing something today meant viewers in the UK had the opportunity to watch the interview, if they wished to, first.
“Diversity, equality, inclusion and mental health are important issues and highlighting that has formed part of the work of Members of the Royal Family for many years.”
Among the many damaging and sensational claims, Meghan, 39, said she had suicidal thoughts as she struggle with life inside the Firm, and a member of the Royal Family questioned how dark her son Archie’s skin would be when she was pregnant with him.
The Duchess of Sussex suggested Archie wasn’t given the title of prince because is is of mixed race, and that she was silenced by the royals and unprepared for life inside the Firm.
Harry said he felt let down by his father, Prince Charles, who stopped speaking to him after the Sussexes moved to Canada before Megxit, and also revealed that the rift between him and his brother, Prince William, continues.
The Duke of Sussex claims he and former Suits actress Meghan left the UK with Archie for a new life in California because there was a “lack of support and lack of understanding” from his family.
Harry said he had been “trapped within the system, like the rest of my family are”.
“My father and my brother, they are trapped. They don’t get to leave,” he added.
He also denied he had “blindsided” his grandmother, the Queen, with the bombshell statement about stepping down as senior royal.
And Harry claimed his family “literally cut me off financially” and he had to secure deals with Netflix and Spotify to pay for his security.
The duke claimed he and Meghan left with Archie due to a “lack of support” from his family.
He said he still speaks to the Queen, he is determined to repair his relationship with his father, and he hopes time will heal his rift with William.
Meghan, who is pregnant with a baby girl, revealed she wrote letters pleading with Harry’s family to not take away his personal protection officers, warning he was facing death threats.
She also claimed the Royal Family didn’t want Archie, who turns two in May and is seventh in line to the throne, to be a prince.
These are among the biggest revelations during the interview.
Meghan had suicidal thoughts
The Duchess of Sussex shockingly revealed she had suicidal thoughts as she struggled with life inside the royal family, saying: “I just didn’t want to be alive anymore.”
She said she begged for help, and asked to go somewhere to get help, and approached one of the most senior people in the institution, but was told it would not look good.
She told how Harry cradled her when she was in the depths of despair and how she sought help from one of Diana, Princess of Wales’s best friends – which may have been Julia Samuel, who is a psychotherapist.
‘Concerns’ about Archie’s skin colour
Meghan said, when she was pregnant with Archie, an unnamed member of the royal family raised “concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he’s born”.
Asked whether there were concerns that her child would be “too brown” and that would be a problem, Meghan said: “If that is the assumption you are making, that is a pretty safe one.”
Pushed by Winfrey on who had those conversations, Meghan refused to say, adding: “I think that would be very damaging to them.”
Harry refused to give details, saying he was “shocked” by the conversation.
The duke claimsnone of his relatives spoke out in support of Meghan following the racism he said she faced in the media.
“No-one from my family ever said anything over those three years. That hurts,” Harry said.
Charles ‘stopped taking Harry’s calls’
Harry said he felt “really let down” by Charles and that “there’s a lot of hurt that’s happened”.
Speaking about his father, the duke said Charles had been through a similar situation and he “knows what pain feels like”, and Archie is his grandson.
Harry said he will always love his father and he is determined to heal that relationship.
Harry said his father stopped taking his calls while Harry and Meghan were in Canada “because I took matters into my own hands. I needed to do this for my family”.
Harry’s rift with William
The rift between Harry and William continues.
Harry revealed there is “space” between the brothers but he is hopeful that time will heal the rift.
He did not criticise his brother, and echoed past comments, saying he loves William and they have been through “hell”, but are now on “different paths”
Kate ‘made Meghan cry’
Meghan claims Kate Middleton made her cry ahead of her wedding at a bridesmaid fitting – not the other way round.
The duchess said Kate was “upset about some things and she owned it and apologised” and sent flowers.
But Meghan added that the false reports were a turning point.
She said “everyone in the institution knew that wasn’t true” and she hoped Kate “would have wanted that to be corrected”, adding “she is a good person”.
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Harry felt ‘trapped’
Harry said he had been “trapped within the system, like the rest of my family are”.
“My father and my brother, they are trapped. They don’t get to leave,” he added.
‘Lack of support’
Asked by Winfrey why they left, Harry blamed a “lack of support and lack of understanding”.
He said members of his family suggested Meghan should carry on acting “because there was not enough money to pay for her”.
He added that there were obvious signs before the royal wedding in May 2018 that the couple would have a hard time as senior royals.
Meghan said her one regret was “believing them when they said I would be protected”.
Queen not ‘blindsided’
Harry denied that he had “blindsided” his grandmother Queen with the bombshell statement about stepping down as senior royal.
The duke said he believed the report probably could have come from “within the institution”.
Meghan lavished praised on the monarch and said the Queen gave her pearl earrings and a matching necklace for the couple’s first joint engagement together.
She told how she had not realised she would have to curtsey to the Queen.
Harry ‘had death threats’
Meghan revealed she wrote letters pleading with Harry’s family to not take away his personal protection officers, warning he was facing death threats.
Harry said he “never thought” he would have his security detail removed upon deciding to step back from royal duties.
He said: “I was born into this position. I inherited the risk. So that was a shock to me.”
Royals ‘cut off Harry financially’
Harry said his family “literally cut me off financially” in the first quarter of 2020 and he went for the Netflix and Spotify deals to pay for his security.
He said he had what Diana left him and “without that we would not have been able to do this.”
Royals ‘didn’t want Archie to be a prince’
Meghan suggested she and Harry wanted Archie to be a prince so he would have security and be protected.
The duchess expressed her shock at “the idea of our son not being safe”, and the idea of the first member of colour in this family, not being titled in the same way as other grandchildren.
But Archie, who is seventh in line to the throne, is not entitled to be an HRH or a prince due to rules set out more than 100 years ago by King George.
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Top Feature Photo: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made several bombshell claims about his family – Image: Harpo Productions/Joe Pugliese v
