On March 7th, CBS delivered the highly anticipated bombshell interview between the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Oprah Winfrey. Socially distanced under a beautiful outdoor veranda, Oprah began the interview with the Duchess, Meghan Markle, on her own. Meghan relayed her story of first entering into the British royal family, explaining how she, shockingly, spent no time exploring the royals on the internet and instead opted to interact with them naturally as any person would with their significant others’ family members. While this ignorance elevated the genuineness of the couple’s love story and lessened potential nerves, Meghan pointed out that it also meant that she was at times rather unprepared for what life as a royal would entail. She told a charming story about her first time meeting Prince Harry’s grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, in which she needed a quick tutoring lesson in how to curtsey right before the introduction.
These personal matters unknown to the public, Meghan quickly became the target of numerous slanderous attacks from the British media. As Oprah pointed out, headlines that accused Meghan of making her sister-in-law, the Duchess of Cambridge, cry in a moment of ‘bridezilla-esque’ anger, referred to her as “American trailer trash,” and spewed racist remarks about her mixed race. While understandably a bit worrisome and obviously hurtful, Meghan noted that she actively avoided these comments from the media and placed her trust in the royal institution that promised to protect her. But, she expressed to Oprah her distress and pain over the lies spread by the media and the lack of effort from the institution to put an end to the disparaging false stories. Clearly reluctant to negatively represent any of her royal family members, Meghan tactfully defended herself by clarifying that, in fact, she had cried after an outburst from Kate Middleton and that the two had quickly resolved the minor conflict.
The complete lack of support that Meghan felt from the royal institution was already clear at this point in the interview, yet it became even more obvious while Oprah inquired about the couple’s pregnancy with their first child, Archie. Meghan explained how she had accepted that she may not receive the security and protection from the palace that she required, but was shocked and disappointed to hear that her son would be denied a royal title and protection as well. Describing the maternal fear she felt for the safety of her son, Meghan tenderly held the bump of the couple’s second child, due this summer.
Vicious headlines from the media continued to tear apart the Duchess’ character and racial background during her pregnancy. Visibly shocking Oprah and surely the audience as well, Meghan continued to painfully recall a conversation that was relayed to her from her husband about the palace’s concern about the color of their child’s skin. Though she was unwilling to give more details, it was clear from her few words that the negativity that she and her family faced came not just from the media, but from inside of the royal structure as well. In a chilling admission, Meghan described the experience as “almost unsurvivable” and confessed to one night confiding in her husband that she did not want to live anymore.
Joined by her husband, Prince Harry, Meghan continued to open up about her intense mental health struggles while trying to remain a senior member of the royal family. The couple shared that while they repeatedly begged for help, their cries fell on deaf ears from the administration and ultimately left them with no choice but to move to Canada. However, their effort to escape the neglect of the palace and vitriol of the media was thwarted when their royal security was suddenly revoked. Prince Harry described the shock of the announcement and the subsequent constant anxiety over the protection of his young family. The couple has since been able to relocate in California and provide themselves with adequate security to keep themselves and their children safe, though they are disheartened by the lack of concern from the royal institution about their welfare. Unable to reconcile their mental and emotional health needs with the duties of senior members of the royal family, the couple announced that they would be stepping down from those positions.
Responding to questions about their relationship with other royal family members, Prince Harry revealed that while he was cut off financially and at one point his father, Prince Phillip, was not taking his calls, they are now on speaking terms again. He also commented that his relationship with his brother, William, the Duke of Cambridge, was inevitably strained but that he of course loves him unconditionally. The couple reflected on the similarly troubling experience of the late Princess Diana, and expressed how grateful they are to at least have the support of one another during the past few difficult years.
With her concluding question, Oprah asked the Duke and Duchess if they had any regrets about the past few years. Meghan revealed that she regretted only believing that the royal institution would protect her. Together the couple expressed how they are saddened by the hurt that has come from the ordeal, but that they are optimistic about their relationships with family members, each other, their son, and their future daughter.