Two days after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey aired, in which the Duchess of Sussex claimed conversations were had about her (then unborn) son's skin tone and that she was denied help for her mental health, Buckingham Palace has issued a formal statement in response.
During their candid discussion with Oprah, the Sussexes also spoke about the discrimination Meghan faced from the British tabloids and said that nobody within the institution appeared to want to protect them. Meghan added that the scrutiny severely damaged her mental health to the point where she was left feeling suicidal and that when she attempted to seek help through the Palace's HR department, she was told that nothing could be done as she wasn't on the pay roll.
Now, Buckingham Palace have 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. While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately."
The statement concluded by saying that Meghan, Harry and Archie will "always be much loved family members".
During the interview, Meghan and Harry also shared that they initially wanted to adopt a less senior working role, wherein they could still serve the Queen should they be called upon to, and Harry said his relationship with his brother William was currently all about giving one another "space".
Throughout the 11o-minute special, the Duchess spoke very highly of the Queen, saying that Her Majesty had "always been wonderful" to her, in particular during her first official royal engagement – which saw her board the Royal Train with the Queen.
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Recounting the event that took place shortly after she married Harry, Meghan also said that Her Majesty gifted her a "beautiful" pair of pearl earrings, complete with a matching necklace, as well as offering to share a blanket with her while travelling together, back in June 2018.
The Sussexes also talked about their expanding family and revealed that they are expecting a baby girl, who will be born some time in the summer.
CBS Presents Oprah with Meghan and Harry can be viewed on ITV Hub, Courtesy of Harpo Productions/CBS.
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Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
