Oprah with Meghan and Harry
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''Oprah with Meghan and Harry'' is a 2021
television special A television special (often TV special, or rarely television spectacular) is a standalone television show which may also temporarily interrupt episodic programming normally scheduled for a given time slot. Some specials provide a full range of ent ...
hosted by American media personality
Oprah Winfrey Oprah Gail Winfrey (; born Orpah Gail Winfrey; January 29, 1954), or simply Oprah, is an American talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and philanthropist. She is best known for her talk show, ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'', br ...
, that featured an interview between Winfrey,
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (; born Rachel Meghan Markle; August 4, 1981) is an American member of the British royal family and former actress. She is the wife of Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, the younger son of King Charles III. Meghan was ...
, and
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, (Henry Charles Albert David; born 15 September 1984) is a member of the British royal family. He is the younger son of Charles III and his first wife Diana, Princess of Wales. He is fifth in the line of succe ...
. The special premiered March 7, 2021, on
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainmen ...
in the United States, and in the United Kingdom the next day on
ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of: ** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
. Filmed in
Santa Barbara County, California Santa Barbara County, California, officially the County of Santa Barbara, is located in Southern California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 448,229. The county seat is Santa Barbara, and the largest city is Santa Maria. Santa Barba ...
, the interview came the year after Prince Harry and Meghan announced their decision to step down as working members of the British royal family in January 2020. The interview included discussion of their courtship, wedding, their second child's sex (female), mental health struggles including Meghan's suicidal thoughts, and a shared sense of abandonment in terms of emotional and financial support. Moreover, Meghan critiqued the
British monarchy The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, is the constitutional form of government by which a hereditary sovereign reigns as the head of state of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies (the Bailiwi ...
as an institution, while they both said one or more comments had been made privately to Harry by an unidentified individual within the royal family in relation to the skin color of their then-unborn son,
Archie Mountbatten-Windsor Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor (born 6 May 2019) is the son of Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. He is a grandson of King Charles III and is sixth in the line of succession to the British throne. Birth, family ...
. Also discussed was a
royal title Traditional rank amongst European royalty, peers, and nobility is rooted in Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages. Although they vary over time and among geographic regions (for example, one region's prince might be equal to another's grand duke ...
for Archie, the personal security of the couple, and Harry's estrangement from his father,
Charles Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English language, English and French language, French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic, Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*k ...
, and brother,
William William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Engl ...
. Meghan's own relationship with her estranged family was also briefly touched upon. The interview received high viewing figures, generated extensive media attention and mixed reaction from political figures. The special was nominated for a 2021 Television Critics Award, a
Primetime Emmy Award The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the Primetime ...
, and a
People's Choice Award The People's Choice Awards is an American awards show, recognizing people in entertainment, voted online by the general public and fans. The show has been held annually since 1975, with the winners originally determined using Gallup Polls until ...
.


Background

Although Winfrey was a guest at the
wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was held on Saturday 19 May 2018 in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle in the United Kingdom. The groom is a member of the British royal family; the bride is American and previously worked as an ...
in 2018, the couple first discussed their experiences with the media and public life in the 2019
ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of: ** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
documentary ''Harry and Meghan: An African Journey'' with
Tom Bradby Thomas Matthew Bradby (born 13 January 1967) is a British journalist and novelist who currently presents the ''ITV News at Ten''. He was previously political editor for ITV News from 2005 to 2015, and presented '' The Agenda with Tom Bradby'', ...
. In March 2020, Harry and Meghan stepped down as working members of the British royal family to move to North America and become financially independent, subject to a 12-month review period should they change their minds. In June 2020, a home was purchased in
Montecito, California Montecito (Spanish for "Little mountain") is an unincorporated town and census-designated place in Santa Barbara County, California.McCormack, Don (1999). ''McCormack's Guides Santa Barbara and Ventura 2000''. Mccormacks Guides. p. 58. . Located ...
, within the same "super-wealthy" enclave as Winfrey and other Hollywood celebrities. On February 19, 2021,
Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a London royal residence and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It ...
confirmed that Harry and Meghan would not be returning as working members of the royal family, and that the Duke would step down as honorary Captain General of the Royal Marines and relinquish all other honorary military appointments held. Both Harry and Meghan also relinquished their royal patronages, including the presidency and vice-presidency, respectively, of
The Queen's Commonwealth Trust The Queen's Commonwealth Trust (QCT) is a charity that supports young people aged 18-35 across the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth. The focus is on social entrepreneurs who have founded organisations to address problems in their communiti ...
. On February 26, ''
The Late Late Show with James Corden ''The Late Late Show with James Corden'' (also known as ''Late Late'') is an American late-night talk show on CBS. It is the fourth and current iteration of '' The Late Late Show''. Airing in the U.S. from Monday to Friday nights at 12:37:28am ...
'' released a 17-minute film segment, titled ''An Afternoon with Prince Harry &
James Corden James Kimberley Corden (born 22 August 1978) is an English television host, actor, comedian, and singer. In the United Kingdom, he is best known for co-writing and starring in the critically acclaimed BBC sitcom ''Gavin & Stacey''. In the Un ...
'', with Meghan making a cameo appearance by video call. In March 2021, ''
The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...
'' reported that a complaint of
workplace harassment Workplace harassment is the belittling or threatening behavior directed at an individual worker or a group of workers. Recently, matters of workplace harassment have gained interest among practitioners and researchers as it is becoming one of the ...
had been made in 2018 against Meghan by her former senior royal advisor, after separate incidents with three other employees. Representatives of the Duke and Duchess denounced the reports as "misinformation" and stated that "it's no coincidence that distorted several-year-old accusations aimed at undermining The Duchess are being briefed to the British media shortly before she and The Duke are due to speak openly and honestly about their experience of recent years."


Production and release

Winfrey initially denied reports of a "tell-all interview" in January 2020. Royal biographer Andrew Morton claimed that Harry had been in contact with Winfrey at least since November 2018.
ITV News ITV News is the branding of news programmes on the British television network ITV. ITV has a long tradition of television news. Independent Television News (ITN) was founded to provide news bulletins for the network in 1955, and has since conti ...
first reported that Meghan and Harry were finalizing an interview deal in February 2021, and it was subsequently confirmed by
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainmen ...
. ''
The Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...
'' reported that CBS paid "a license fee of between $7 million and $9 million" for the broadcasting rights. The network also sought $325,000 for 30 seconds of commercial advertising time during the broadcast. Meghan and Harry were not paid for the interview. Produced by Winfrey's
Harpo Productions Harpo Productions (or Harpo Studios) is an American multimedia production company founded by Oprah Winfrey and based in West Hollywood, California. It is the sole subsidiary of her media and entertainment company Harpo, Inc. The name "Harpo" is ...
, the taping took place outdoors in
Santa Barbara County, California Santa Barbara County, California, officially the County of Santa Barbara, is located in Southern California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 448,229. The county seat is Santa Barbara, and the largest city is Santa Maria. Santa Barba ...
, at the home of an unnamed friend of Winfrey's. The special premiered on March 7, 2021, on CBS, and aired the following day on
ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of: ** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
in the United Kingdom. ViacomCBS Global Distribution handled distribution internationally. Winfrey appeared on ''
CBS This Morning ''CBS This Morning'' (''CTM'') is an American morning television program that aired on CBS from November 30, 1987, to October 29, 1999, and again from January 9, 2012, to September 6, 2021. The program was aired from Monday through Saturday. ...
'' on March 8 to present footage not included in the special.


Content

Various topics were discussed in the interview. Meghan spoke about "stepping into life as a royal, marriage, motherhood" and "how she is handling life under intense public pressure". She stated they were married in their backyard in the presence of the Archbishop of Canterbury three days prior to their public wedding ceremony. Harry joined her later, and the pair talked about their move to the United States from the United Kingdom in 2020 and their plans for the future, as well as revealing the sex of their second child, a daughter due to be born in "the summer" of 2021. Meghan drew a distinction between the royal family, and those that run the institution of the monarchy: "It's hard for people to distinguish the two, because it's a family business right, there's the family, and then there's the people that are running the institution, those are two separate things ...
the Queen In the English-speaking world, The Queen most commonly refers to: * Elizabeth II (1926–2022), Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 1952 until her death The Queen may also refer to: * Camilla, Queen Consort (born 1947), ...
, for example, has always been wonderful to me." She said "she phoned the Queen after
Prince Philip Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, later Philip Mountbatten; 10 June 1921 – 9 April 2021) was the husband of Queen Elizabeth II. As such, he served as the consort of the British monarch from E ...
went into hospital" in February 2021. Although Meghan said that she knew some things about the royal family, discussion of them was not regular when she was growing up. She commented on "naively" entering the royal family, as she did not do her own research because she felt that Harry was telling her all she needed to know. Meghan said that she was not provided with proper training on royal protocols, and recounted practicing how to
curtsy A curtsy (also spelled curtsey or incorrectly as courtsey) is a traditional gendered gesture of greeting, in which a girl or woman bends her knees while bowing her head. In Western culture it is the feminine equivalent of bowing by males. Miss Ma ...
with help from
Sarah, Duchess of York Sarah, Duchess of York (born Sarah Margaret Ferguson; 15 October 1959), also known by the nickname Fergie, is a member of the British royal family. She is the former wife of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, the younger brother of King Charles III ...
, outside the
Royal Lodge The Royal Lodge is a Grade II listed house in Windsor Great Park in Berkshire, England, half a mile north of Cumberland Lodge and south of Windsor Castle. Part of the Crown Estate, it was the Windsor residence of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mothe ...
prior to first meeting the Queen. Meghan said that a reported incident of her making her sister-in-law
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge Catherine, Princess of Wales, (born Catherine Elizabeth Middleton; 9 January 1982) is a member of the British royal family. She is married to William, Prince of Wales, heir apparent to the British throne, making Catherine the likely next ...
, cry was actually misreported, and that, in fact Catherine had made her cry about flower girl dresses. She stated that Catherine had apologized about it subsequently, sending her a note and flowers. Meghan also criticized the institution for knowing the truth about these events, but not showing any efforts to correct the story. Otherwise, Meghan said that during her time as a senior royal, she had been silenced. She believed that, by not commenting on her life, she would receive protection, but said that such reciprocity did not occur. Meghan said that, when she was pregnant with her and Harry's son,
Archie Archie is a masculine given name, a diminutive of Archibald. It may refer to: People Given name or nickname *Archie Alexander (1888–1958), African-American mathematician, engineer and governor of the US Virgin Islands * Archie Blake (mathematici ...
, she was told that the Palace would not give the baby the title of prince, nor would he receive personal security. She believed that this was attributable to her son's mixed ethnicity, and worried about a lack of security for him, particularly given the manner in which tabloids had treated her. She said that Harry had "conversations" with an unnamed member of the royal family about "how dark" Archie's skin would be. However, when later pressed for greater details, Harry said he is "never going to share more" about "that conversation" which took place "right at the beginning". Meghan discussed contemplating
suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...
by saying "I did not want to be alive anymore". She said she had gone to several senior palace officials to seek help or be checked into a
hospital A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment with specialized health science and auxiliary healthcare staff and medical equipment. The best-known type of hospital is the general hospital, which typically has an emerge ...
, but was told that would not be good as a public image. She added that one of the people she reached out to during that period and has remained in contact with was a best friend of Harry's mother,
Diana, Princess of Wales Diana, Princess of Wales (born Diana Frances Spencer; 1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997) was a member of the British royal family. She was the first wife of King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) and mother of Princes William and Harry. Her ac ...
. Meghan discussed feeling trapped, telling Winfrey that her
driver's license A driver's license is a legal authorization, or the official document confirming such an authorization, for a specific individual to operate one or more types of motorized vehicles—such as motorcycles, cars, trucks, or buses—on a public ...
,
passport A passport is an official travel document issued by a government that contains a person's identity. A person with a passport can travel to and from foreign countries more easily and access consular assistance. A passport certifies the personal ...
, and
credit card A credit card is a payment card issued to users (cardholders) to enable the cardholder to pay a merchant for goods and services based on the cardholder's accrued debt (i.e., promise to the card issuer to pay them for the amounts plus the o ...
s had been taken from her prior to her wedding, and been made unavailable to her. Harry discussed the way in which Meghan was treated: "I saw history repeating itself," drawing comparisons to his late mother, and worried that a tragic ending may repeat itself with Meghan. Harry said that he only stepped back as a royal after it became clear that the help he was asking for was not forthcoming. He believed that after he and Meghan toured Australia in October 2018, members of the royal family were jealous of the "effortless" manner in which Meghan had been able to interact with people in the
Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...
and "how good she was at the job". According to Meghan, they had discussed with the royal family moving to a Commonwealth country, particularly
South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
or
New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
, as part of their stepping back. Harry said that there was a period of unspecified duration in which his father,
Prince Charles Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person to ...
, would not return his phone calls, and he felt "really let down". Harry also expressed affection for his older brother
Prince William William, Prince of Wales, (William Arthur Philip Louis; born 21 June 1982) is the heir apparent to the British throne. He is the elder son of King Charles III and his first wife Diana, Princess of Wales. Born in London, William was educat ...
, saying that he "loved him to bits", but stated, "we're on different paths". Harry and Meghan denied having "blindsided" the Queen with their decision to step back as senior royals, and they also said that they had held discussions with the royal family beforehand. In response to Winfrey's question about whether he would have left the monarchy if not for Meghan, Harry said that he would not have. Meghan had opened his eyes as to how trapped he was inside the "institution" into which he had been born. Harry said that he and Meghan had not initially planned to make commercial deals like those which they had forged with
Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
and
Spotify Spotify (; ) is a proprietary Swedish audio streaming and media services provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. It is one of the largest music streaming service providers, with over 456 million monthly active us ...
, but that they needed to make arrangements for their safety after the royal family refused them further security protection, then cut off financial support in early 2020. The couple later revealed that after royal security ceased,
Tyler Perry Tyler Perry (born Emmitt Perry Jr., September 13, 1969) is an American actor, comedian, filmmaker, and playwright. He is the creator and performer of the Madea character, a tough elderly woman. Perry's films vary in style from orthodox filmmak ...
provided them with a secure house in
Beverly Hills Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. A notable and historic suburb of Greater Los Angeles, it is in a wealthy area immediately southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Bev ...
until they were able to make an alternative plan. Harry added that he was able to provide for the family with inherited money from his mother. Harry and Meghan both said that they initially did not intend to completely leave their roles in the royal family, but only wanted to step back into smaller roles. At the conclusion of the interview, Harry declared that his relationship with Meghan had "saved" him, while she added that his decisions had saved their entire family, referring to the two of them and Archie.


Extra footage

Four clips that were unaired during the main program were shown the following day on ''CBS This Morning''. When asked if racism played a role in their decision to leave the UK, Harry responded: "it was a large part of it". He also added that he did not believe that the UK is bigoted. Harry went on to say that after he informed the Palace about their decision to leave, the Queen cancelled a pre-planned meeting with the couple in
Sandringham Sandringham can refer to: Places * Sandringham, New South Wales, Australia * Sandringham, Queensland, Australia * Sandringham, Victoria, Australia **Sandringham railway line **Sandringham railway station **Electoral district of Sandringham * Sand ...
due to a busy schedule. Harry's request for another meeting was denied over the phone directly by the Queen, though he attributed her decision to the influence of her advisors. The couple also talked about Meghan's tabloid coverage, and (according to them) an alleged toxic environment within the royal institution. Harry attributed this perceived toxicity to the "control and the fear by the UK tabloids", and opined that his ancestral family had adapted to such an environment. Meghan added that what she experienced after she joined the royal family was different from the experience of her sister-in-law, Catherine, mainly because
social media Social media are interactive media technologies that facilitate the creation and sharing of information, ideas, interests, and other forms of expression through virtual communities and networks. While challenges to the definition of ''social medi ...
did not exist in its current form. She also spoke of the bad press coverage that the whole royal family had to deal with, but said that the bad press coverage which she herself had to deal with also had an element of
racism Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to inherited attributes and can be divided based on the superiority of one race over another. It may also mean prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism ...
. Additionally, Meghan talked about her conversation with her own father,
Thomas Markle Thomas Wayne Markle (born July 18, 1944) is an American retired television lighting director and director of photography. He received a Chicago/Midwest Emmy Award for work on the television program ''Made in Chicago'' in 1975 and was a co-re ...
, in the days leading up to her wedding, mentioning that despite the fact that his relationship with the press could have been damaging to her reputation, he did not reveal his actions to her. She expressed sympathy for him because he was "hunted" by the press, but praised her mother
Doria Ragland Doria Loyce Ragland (born September 2, 1956) is an American social worker, and former makeup artist and yoga instructor. She is the mother of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. Early life Doria Ragland was born in Cleveland, Ohio, to nurse Jeanette ...
for being in the same situation but remaining "in silent dignity." She further stated that she barely knew her half-sister Samantha Markle, and questioned her credibility for writing a tell-all book. She added that her half-sister had changed her surname back to Markle only after realizing that she was dating Harry. In another clip released by ''
O, The Oprah Magazine ''O, The Oprah Magazine'', also known simply as ''O'', is an American monthly magazine founded by talk show host Oprah Winfrey and Hearst Communications. Overview It was first published on April 19, 2000. , its average paid circulation was ...
'', Meghan talked about "a basic right to privacy". She acknowledged that, as public figures, they never asked for complete privacy, but it should be up to them to decide what parts they want to share with the public.


Veracity and context of claims


Archie's title

As
heir apparent An heir apparent, often shortened to heir, is a person who is first in an order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person; a person who is first in the order of succession but can be displaced by the b ...
to his father's
Dukedom of Sussex Duke of Sussex is a substantive title, one of several royal dukedoms, that has been created twice in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It is a hereditary title of a specific rank of nobility in the British royal family. It takes its name ...
,
Earldom of Dumbarton Earl of Dumbarton is a title of Scottish nobility, referring to Dumbarton in the area West Dunbartonshire, Scotland. The title has been created twice, once in the Peerage of Scotland in 1675 and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom in 2018 ...
, and Barony of Kilkeel, Archie is customarily entitled to use Prince Harry's senior
subsidiary title A subsidiary title is a title of authority or title of honour that is held by a royal or noble person but which is not regularly used to identify that person, due to the concurrent holding of a greater title. United Kingdom An example in the Unit ...
Earl of Dumbarton as a
courtesy Courtesy (from the word ''courteis'', from the 12th century) is gentle politeness and courtly manners. In the Middle Ages in Europe, the behaviour expected of the nobility was compiled in courtesy books. History The apex of European courtly cul ...
. At the time of Archie's birth, it was reported that it had been Meghan and Harry's decision not to have him use a courtesy title, in accordance with their wish that he grow up as a private citizen. A
Royal Decree A decree is a legal proclamation, usually issued by a head of state (such as the president of a republic or a monarch), according to certain procedures (usually established in a constitution). It has the force of law. The particular term used for ...
by
King George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936. Born during the reign of his grandmother Que ...
in 1917 limited the "
prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. Th ...
" or "
princess Princess is a regal rank and the feminine equivalent of prince (from Latin ''princeps'', meaning principal citizen). Most often, the term has been used for the consort of a prince, or for the daughter of a king or prince. Princess as a subst ...
" titles to children of the
British monarch The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, is the constitutional form of government by which a hereditary sovereign reigns as the head of state of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies (the Bailiwi ...
, grandchildren in the male line, and the eldest son of the eldest son of the
Prince of Wales Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the rulers ...
. As Harry's father, King Charles III, has ascended the British throne, Archie is automatically accorded the
title A title is one or more words used before or after a person's name, in certain contexts. It may signify either generation, an official position, or a professional or academic qualification. In some languages, titles may be inserted between the f ...
of prince, as the grandson of the monarch. In 2012, the Queen issued
letters patent Letters patent ( la, litterae patentes) ( always in the plural) are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch, president or other head of state, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, titl ...
for all of Prince William's children to be titled prince and princess (William being the elder son of the Prince of Wales at the time); the 1917 legislation had not anticipated her longevity. Since Archie was not also granted the title of Prince, Meghan mooted a future grievance that the rules set by the 1917 letters patent could be changed to "prevent" Archie from becoming a prince. However, according to Bob Morris from the Constitution Unit, this could be attributable to King Charles III's long standing idea of a slimmed-down royal family, the mechanism for which has not been announced yet. ''
Finding Freedom ''Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of A Modern Royal Family'' is a biography by Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, revolving around the married lives of the Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Duke and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Duchess of ...
'' author
Omid Scobie Omid William Scobie (born July 1981) is a British journalist and writer best known for co-authoring the book ''Finding Freedom''. Scobie's work focuses on the British royal family. Early life and education Scobie was born in Wales in July 1981 ...
later stated that Meghan was incorrect in her understanding of royal procedure regarding the issue, but added that there was "much more to this story" than is known to the public.


Alleged lack of access to personal documents

Historian
Robert Lacey Robert Lacey (born 3 January 1944) is a British historian and biographer. He is the author of a number of best-selling biographies, including those of Henry Ford, Eileen Ford, Queen Elizabeth II and other royals, as well as several other work ...
explained that Meghan handing in her driver's licence would have been a requirement under security rules, as she "would not be protected" if she went driving by herself. Royal commentators said that her passport would still have been used when she was travelling internationally – only the monarch does not use one – but that it would have been kept with other royals' personal documents in a safe and accessible place, which "really was routine, and probably anything would be accessible to her if she wanted it."


State-funded security

During the interview, the couple aired their grievance that they were not provided with state-funded security.
HM Treasury His Majesty's Treasury (HM Treasury), occasionally referred to as the Exchequer, or more informally the Treasury, is a department of His Majesty's Government responsible for developing and executing the government's public finance policy and ec ...
is the UK government department responsible for paying the costs associated with protecting members of the royal family. The Royal and VIP Executive Committee is the body responsible for determining which royals and public figures should get round-the-clock protection. Royals who do not constantly represent the monarchy, like
Princess Anne Anne, Princess Royal (Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise; born 15 August 1950), is a member of the British royal family. She is the second child and only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and the only sister of K ...
and Prince Edward, do not get 24/7 security and get state-funded protection only when carrying out royal duties. Harry's cousins
Princess Beatrice Princess Beatrice, Mrs Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi (Beatrice Elizabeth Mary; born 8 August 1988) is a member of the British royal family. She is the elder daughter of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Sarah, Duchess of York. She is a niece of Charle ...
and
Princess Eugenie Princess Eugenie, Mrs Jack Brooksbank ( ; Eugenie Victoria Helena; born 23 March 1990) is a member of the British royal family. She is the younger daughter of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Sarah, Duchess of York. She is a niece of King Ch ...
have been paying for their own security using their private incomes after a
Scotland Yard Scotland Yard (officially New Scotland Yard) is the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police, the territorial police force responsible for policing Greater London's 32 boroughs, but not the City of London, the square mile that forms London's ...
review in 2011 cut off their state-funded protection. However, their father,
Prince Andrew Prince Andrew, Duke of York, (Andrew Albert Christian Edward; born 19 February 1960) is a member of the British royal family. He is the younger brother of King Charles III and the third child and second son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince ...
, who has stepped back from public life due to connections with
Jeffrey Epstein Jeffrey Edward Epstein ( ; January 20, 1953August 10, 2019) was an American sex offender and financier. Epstein, who was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York City, began his professional life by teaching at the Dalton School in Manhattan, des ...
, was allowed to keep his £300,000-a-year security even after a recommendation by the
Metropolitan Police The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), formerly and still commonly known as the Metropolitan Police (and informally as the Met Police, the Met, Scotland Yard, or the Yard), is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement and ...
to lower his level of security. The Queen continued to pay for his protection using her income from the
Privy Purse The Privy Purse is the British Sovereign's private income, mostly from the Duchy of Lancaster. This amounted to £20.1 million in net income for the year to 31 March 2018. Overview The Duchy is a landed estate of approximately 46,000 acres (200 ...
. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex had round-the-clock protection, which included their son, while working for the royal family. (While on-site, all residents of Windsor Castle and its grounds benefit from the fact that the property contains the
Victoria Barracks, Windsor Victoria Barracks is a British Army barracks located south of Windsor Castle. History The barracks were built in 1853 and were enlarged in 1911. The old barracks were completely demolished in 1988 and new barracks were built between 1989 and 1 ...
, which is the base of the 560-strong
Coldstream Guards The Coldstream Guards is the oldest continuously serving regular regiment in the British Army. As part of the Household Division, one of its principal roles is the protection of the monarchy; due to this, it often participates in state ceremonia ...
.) Harry claimed, however, that their security cost the British taxpayers £1 million per year and was cut off during the negotiations on the terms of their exit, despite there being no change in the level of threat to their safety. In the interview, Harry claimed that security protection and financial support had been cut off by the royal family in "the first quarter" of 2020, which ended in April, when they were in Canada. This apparently contradicted an initial agreement, based on which "the monarchy had previously advised" that Harry's father, Prince Charles, would continue to provide financial support for a period of one year. During a
Clarence House Clarence House is a royal residence on The Mall in the City of Westminster, London. It was built in 1825–1827, adjacent to St James's Palace, for the Duke of Clarence, the future king William IV. Over the years, it has undergone much exte ...
briefing on finances preceding the annual
Sovereign Grant The Sovereign Grant Act 2011 (c. 15) is the Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which introduced the Sovereign Grant, the payment which is paid annually to the monarch by the government in order to fund the monarch's official duties. It ...
report, a spokesperson stated that Charles had "allocated a substantial sum" to support the Duke and Duchess until the summer of 2020. Once the couple left the UK for Canada, their security became the responsibility of the Canadian government. On February 27, 2020, the Canadian Minister of Public Safety issued a statement saying, in part, "As the Duke and Duchess are currently recognized as Internationally Protected Persons, Canada has an obligation to provide security assistance on an as-needed basis. At the request of the Metropolitan Police, the RCMP has been providing assistance to the Met since the arrival of the Duke and Duchess to Canada." During their five-month stay on
Vancouver Island Vancouver Island is an island in the northeastern Pacific Ocean and part of the Canadian Provinces and territories of Canada, province of British Columbia. The island is in length, in width at its widest point, and in total area, while are o ...
, Harry and Meghan were protected by the
Metropolitan Police The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), formerly and still commonly known as the Metropolitan Police (and informally as the Met Police, the Met, Scotland Yard, or the Yard), is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement and ...
and the
Royal Canadian Mounted Police The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP; french: Gendarmerie royale du Canada; french: GRC, label=none), commonly known in English as the Mounties (and colloquially in French as ) is the federal police, federal and national police service of ...
at a cost to Canadian taypayers of $56,384.00 (CAD). , they were required to pay for their own protection. This has historical precedent from when
Edward VIII Edward VIII (Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David; 23 June 1894 – 28 May 1972), later known as the Duke of Windsor, was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Empire and Emperor of India from 20 January 19 ...
, later known as the
Duke of Windsor Duke of Windsor was a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 8 March 1937 for the former monarch Edward VIII, following his abdication on 11 December 1936. The dukedom takes its name from the town where Windsor Castle, a ...
, lost the security provided by the British Government after abdicating and before settling abroad in 1937. The couple said they would have reimbursed the money spent on their security. Harry added that he used the money he inherited from his mother to take care of his family. She left him £6.5 million, which was invested and has earned substantial interest; an additional estimated £10 million was given to Harry on his 30th birthday in 2014. Harry's great-grandmother,
Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon (4 August 1900 – 30 March 2002) was Queen of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 to 6 February 1952 as the wife of King George VI. She was the l ...
, left him and his brother £14 million in total, with Harry getting a larger share since he is not expected to ascend the throne. Meghan's wealth was estimated at $5 million, most of which was acquired through her role in '' Suits'', and for which she continues to get paid through residual checks from streaming services. The Duke and Duchess also stressed that they used some of the money they made from their Netflix and Spotify deals to pay for the renovation costs of their UK residence
Frogmore Cottage Frogmore Cottage is a historic Grade II listed home on the Frogmore estate, which is part of Home Park in Windsor, England. Built in 1801 at the direction of Queen Charlotte in the gardens near Frogmore House, Frogmore Cottage is part of the Cro ...
, which was initially paid for by British taxpayers.


Commercial deals

In the interview, Prince Harry stated that their commercial deals with
Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
and
Spotify Spotify (; ) is a proprietary Swedish audio streaming and media services provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. It is one of the largest music streaming service providers, with over 456 million monthly active us ...
were "never part of the plan" and came into fruition on the suggestion of a third party to afford security costs after being cut off financially. ''
The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally. It was fo ...
'' later reported that Meghan and Harry had held meetings surrounding "well-developed proposals" with the now-defunct streaming service
Quibi Quibi ( ) was a short-lived American short-form streaming platform that generated content for viewing on mobile devices. It was founded in Los Angeles in August 2018 as NewTV by Jeffrey Katzenberg and was led by Meg Whitman, its CEO. The servic ...
a year before their departure from the royal family. The couple reportedly met with
Jeffrey Katzenberg Jeffrey Katzenberg (; born December 21, 1950) is an American filmmaker, animator, and media proprietor. He became well known for his tenure as chairman of Walt Disney Studios from 1984 to 1994. After departing Disney, he was a co-founder and CE ...
and other executives "throughout 2019", with alleged plans to "discuss ..their own series of 10-minute videos". Andrew Morton, who wrote
Diana, Princess of Wales Diana, Princess of Wales (born Diana Frances Spencer; 1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997) was a member of the British royal family. She was the first wife of King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) and mother of Princes William and Harry. Her ac ...
's authorized 1992 biography and later published a book on Meghan, claimed that the Queen not only gave the couple the opportunity to choose which country they wanted to go to, but also suggested that Meghan could continue her acting career if she was not willing to carry out full time royal duties. In July 2021, ''The Telegraph'' reported that Meghan had pitched an animated television show, ''Pearl'', to Netflix in 2018. The show, created by the Duchess, was announced to be in development at the studio earlier that month. Representatives for Meghan responded that "any discussions with Netflix dating back to 2018 were exclusively about" ''Pearl'' and stated that it was among the "one-off creative advocacy projects" that had been "brought to her" as a royal.


Alleged racist comments

In the interview, Meghan relayed second hand (comments that had allegedly been said to Harry, not to her) that there had been "concerns and conversations about how dark rchie'sskin might be when he's born". In contrast to the suggestion of multiple conversations and comments, when asked about the same topic Harry stated it was a single instance: "That conversation, I'm never going to share. But at the time, it was awkward. I was a bit shocked. That was right at the beginning when she wasn't going to get security". Winfrey later stated that the comments were made by neither the Queen nor
Prince Philip Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, later Philip Mountbatten; 10 June 1921 – 9 April 2021) was the husband of Queen Elizabeth II. As such, he served as the consort of the British monarch from E ...
. Author and socialite
Lady Colin Campbell Georgia Arianna, Lady Colin Campbell (''née'' Ziadie, born 17 August 1949), also known as Lady C, is a British Jamaican author, socialite, and television personality who has published seven books about the British royal family. They include b ...
later said that the comments were made by Harry's aunt
Princess Anne Anne, Princess Royal (Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise; born 15 August 1950), is a member of the British royal family. She is the second child and only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and the only sister of K ...
, however there was a "misunderstanding" and according to different sources the conversation had been "twisted". Campbell stated that Anne's comments were on Meghan's "conduct and character", and added "There were no concerns about Meghan's color. Princess Anne was rightly concerned that if the marriage proceeded and there were children, there would be huge problems. Not because of Meghan's color, but because of Meghan's inability and determination to remain unable to appreciate the cultural differences, and to have respect for the institution into which she was going to marry. Harry ran to Meghan with the objections, Meghan weaponized them on the grounds of color". Journalist
Christopher Andersen Christopher Peter Andersen (born May 26, 1949) is an American journalist and the author of 35 books, including many bestsellers. Life A graduate of the University of California at Berkeley, Andersen joined the staff of ''Time'' magazine as a co ...
claimed in his 2021 book ''Brothers and Wives: Inside the Private Lives of William, Kate, Harry, and Meghan'' that the comments came from
Prince Charles Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person to ...
upon the announcement of his son's engagement, who "in a very kind of benign way" asked his wife Camilla, "What do you suppose their children's complexion might be?" Andersen argued that the comments were twisted by the courtiers and then passed down to Harry and Meghan. A spokesperson for Charles stated that the claim "is fiction and not worth further comment". Author and investigative journalist
Tom Bower Thomas Michael Bower (born 28 September 1946) is a British writer and former BBC journalist and television producer. He is known for his investigative journalism and for his unauthorised biographies, often of business tycoons and newspaper pr ...
claimed in his book ''Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the War Between the Windsors'' that the comments were made by Camilla, who jokingly told Harry "Wouldn't it be funny if your child had ginger Afro hair?" Harry laughed in response but Meghan later found the comments offensive. Sources close to Camilla described the allegations as "nonsense".


Private exchange of vows

Meghan said that they had in fact married three days before their public wedding, with a private exchange of vows on May 16 in front of the
Archbishop of Canterbury The archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and a principal leader of the Church of England, the ceremonial head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. The current archbishop is Justi ...
. Harry supported this by commenting "Yeah, just the three of us". This earlier exchange of vows was not an official religious or legally recognized marriage, both of which require at least two witnesses. Later in March, a spokesperson for the couple confirmed that they merely exchanged "personal vows", and the private event was neither a "legal" nor "official" service. The couple's official
marriage certificate A marriage certificate (sometimes: marriage lines) is an official statement that two people are married. In most jurisdictions, a marriage certificate is issued by a government official only after the civil registration of the marriage. In som ...
also shows that they were married on May 19, with Harry's father and Meghan's mother as witnesses. The Archbishop of Canterbury also clarified their claim, stating "The legal wedding was on the Saturday ay 19 I signed the wedding certificate, which is a legal document, and I would have committed a serious criminal offence if I signed it knowing it was false". As is customary for clergy, Archbishop Welby refrained from commenting on the nature of any private meetings with the couple, but added he "had a number of private and pastoral meetings with the duke and duchess before the wedding".


The Palace HR department

In the interview, Meghan stated that when suffering from mental health issues she tried to talk to senior palace officials, telling them she "needed to go somewhere to get help" but was told that she could not because "it wouldn't be good for the institution." She then claimed she sought help from the palace HR department, but she was refused as she was not a "paid employee of the institution". According to journalist
Jonny Dymond Jonathan 'Jonny' David Dymond (born 15 February 1970 in Merton, London) is a British journalist. He is currently a Royal Correspondent for BBC News, having previously been the BBC's Washington Correspondent, Europe Correspondent (based in Bruss ...
"There's no HR department for working royals because it's a family affair", and HR managers are responsible for helping lower level royal staff and the household. Notwithstanding, seeking private therapy has precedent in the royal family and royal biographers questioned Meghan's claim of being turned away. In her own 1995 interview, Harry's mother, Diana, stated that she "received a great deal of treatment" after suffering from
postpartum depression Postpartum depression (PPD), also called postnatal depression, is a type of mood disorder associated with childbirth, which can affect both sexes. Symptoms may include extreme sadness, low energy, anxiety, crying episodes, irritability, and chan ...
. In 2017, Harry himself acknowledged that he sought
counselling Counseling is the professional guidance of the individual by utilizing psychological methods especially in collecting case history data, using various techniques of the personal interview, and testing interests and aptitudes. This is a list of co ...
years after his mother's death. In his memoir ''
Spare Spare or Spares may refer to: Common meanings * Spare (bowling), a term for knocking down all the pins using two bowling balls * short for spare part ** Spare tire A spare tire (or stepney in some countries) is an additional tire (or tyre - s ...
'', Harry claims that following a physical altercation with his brother in 2019 he did not contact Meghan but immediately called his therapist. Journalist Daniel Bird pointed out the contradiction between Harry's claims in the book, and those he had made earlier about the lack of help for his wife: "Prince Harry said he called his therapist right after a fight with the Prince of Wales... but didn't Meghan say she wasn't allowed to speak to a therapist while she was a working royal? Seems odd Harry was allowed and she wasn't..."


Flower girl dresses incident

Months after Meghan wed Harry, a widely reported story, damaging to her public image, was published in the British media that she had made her sister-in-law, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, cry in a dispute over flower girl dresses. In the interview, Meghan insisted that the actual incident had seen the opposite occur, with Catherine causing Meghan to cry. She added that " atherineapologized, and she brought me flowers and a note apologizing", after which she "forgave" her, but sources close to the palace told ''
The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...
'' that Meghan had "slammed the door in Kate's face" when she took a bunch of flowers to Nottingham Cottage to apologize. Another source later told ''
People A person (plural, : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established form of social relations such as kinship, ownership of pr ...
'' that "both women were in tears over the incident". Andrew Morton claimed in the revised version of his book, ''Meghan: A Hollywood Princess'', that Meghan had given Catherine and six of her friends gold bracelets following the royal wedding, a move that was described as "an elegant peace offering". In a piece for ''
Harper's Bazaar ''Harper's Bazaar'' is an American monthly women's fashion magazine. It was first published in New York City on November 2, 1867, as the weekly ''Harper's Bazar''. ''Harper's Bazaar'' is published by Hearst and considers itself to be the st ...
'' fashion magazine, ''
Finding Freedom ''Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of A Modern Royal Family'' is a biography by Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, revolving around the married lives of the Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Duke and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Duchess of ...
'' author Omid Scobie alleged that when
Kensington Palace Kensington Palace is a royal residence set in Kensington Gardens, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London, England. It has been a residence of the British royal family since the 17th century, and is currently the official L ...
asked Harry to co-sign a statement to quash rumors of his brother William bullying Meghan and him, Meghan responded by email: "Well, if we're just throwing any statement out there now, then perhaps KP can finally set the record straight about me ot making Catherine cry" Scobie said that Meghan's suggestion was ignored, with the palace saying that the Duchess of Cambridge cannot get involved in such gossip. However, in December 2018 a spokesperson for Kensington Palace denied rumors of a rift between the two women. In ''Finding Freedom'', Scobie had previously said that, according to a source, "There were no tears from anyone. And in the end, the fitting was fine. Kate and Meghan were both a little stressed but professionals in the room". In March 2021,
Camilla Tominey Camilla Tominey (born 14 June 1978) is a British journalist and broadcaster. She reports on politics and the British royal family as an associate editor of ''The Daily Telegraph''. She also writes a weekly column for the newspaper. In July 2021 ...
, the journalist who broke the story, stated that she still believed her original reporting to be true. In his 2022 unauthorized biography of Meghan and Harry titled ''Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the War Between the Windsors'', author and journalist
Tom Bower Thomas Michael Bower (born 28 September 1946) is a British writer and former BBC journalist and television producer. He is known for his investigative journalism and for his unauthorised biographies, often of business tycoons and newspaper pr ...
alleged that Meghan and Catherine had a disagreement over the length of
Princess Charlotte Princess Charlotte may refer to: People * Charlotte Christine of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1694–1715), wife of Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich of Russia and mother of Tsar Peter II, Emperor of Russia * Charlotte Aglaé d'Orléans (1700–1761), wife of ...
's hemline and whether the flower girls "should wear tights". Meghan then allegedly compared her friend
Jessica Mulroney Jessica Mulroney (née Brownstein; born March 14, 1980) is a Canadian fashion stylist and marketing consultant, noted for her previous work with Kleinfeld Bridal ( Hudson's Bay), past guest appearances on television shows ''Good Morning America' ...
's daughter "favourably" against Charlotte, and Catherine, who was exhausted after having recently given birth to Prince Louis, burst into tears. In his memoir ''Spare'', Harry states there was a disagreement between Meghan and Catherine over flower girl dresses as Catherine had allegedly asked for the dresses to be completely remade four days before Harry and Meghan's wedding, and had initially refused to take Charlotte to see Meghan's tailor. Harry claims Catherine told Meghan that Charlotte had "burst into tears" when she tried on the dress because it was "too big, long and baggy", and that the argument left Meghan sobbing on the floor as she was also dealing with her father, who was ill and not going to attend the wedding. Harry then claims that Catherine visited them the next day with flowers and a card to apologise. Harry recalls a discussion about the timing of the wedding rehearsal and the flower girl dresses that took place in the lead-up to the wedding, which involved Meghan allegedly telling his sister-in-law Catherine, who had recently given birth to her youngest child, that she must be suffering from "baby brain because of her hormones" as she had forgotten a detail about the rehearsal timing. Harry claims Catherine told Meghan at a reconciliatory tea at
Kensington Palace Kensington Palace is a royal residence set in Kensington Gardens, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London, England. It has been a residence of the British royal family since the 17th century, and is currently the official L ...
in June 2018 that she was owed an apology. He adds that Meghan said those remarks were harmless, but his sister-in-law, who was holding onto the upholstered side of her chair so hard that her fingers had gone white, said "You talked about my hormones. We are not close enough for you to talk about my hormones." He claims Meghan apologised, but William pointed at her saying that her comments were "rude", which prompted Meghan to tell him to "take your finger out of my face."


Montage featuring headlines

On March 12, lawyers for
Associated Newspapers DMG Media (stylised in lowercase) is an intermediate holding company for Associated Newspapers, Northcliffe Media, Harmsworth Printing, Harmsworth Media and other subsidiaries of Daily Mail and General Trust. It is based at Northcliffe House in ...
wrote a letter to
ViacomCBS Paramount Global (doing business as Paramount) is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate owned and operated by National Amusements (79.4%) and headquartered at One Astor Plaza in Midtown Manhattan, New York. I ...
demanding a retraction of a montage shown in the special "that purported to feature headlines from British newspapers". Among examples given were an image broadcast containing the ''
Daily Mail The ''Daily Mail'' is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper and news websitePeter Wilb"Paul Dacre of the Daily Mail: The man who hates liberal Britain", ''New Statesman'', 19 December 2013 (online version: 2 January 2014) publish ...
'' headline "Meghan's seed will taint our Royal Family", which the company stated was an edited version of the original, which reported the suspension of a
UKIP The UK Independence Party (UKIP; ) is a Eurosceptic, right-wing populist political party in the United Kingdom. The party reached its greatest level of success in the mid-2010s, when it gained two members of Parliament and was the largest pa ...
politician over racist texts. Representatives argued that the headlines were either doctored or taken out of context to present a "misleading" display. A third of the headlines were from gossip magazines published in Australia or the US, not the UK. Among the featured headlines that according to Winfrey "left eghanwith no option but to quit" was a column by Michael Deacon titled "The real problem with Meghan Markle: she just doesn't speak our language", which was in fact published in December 2020, eleven months after the couple decided to leave the UK, and was about her use of "hippie corporate management speak". Harpo Productions later released a statement in response, saying: "Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, shared in the interview their personal story. We stand by the broadcast in its entirety." ITV later said that it would edit out some of the misleading headlines.


Claim of being financially cut off by the royal family

In the interview, Harry claimed that "members of my family were suggesting that eghancarries on acting, because there was not enough money to pay for her, and all this sort of stuff." Royal biographer Andrew Morton claimed the royal family's motives were benign: "They did say to Meghan, 'If you don't want to embrace royal duties full time, please be our guest and continue your acting career.' Those opportunities were open to her." Meghan and Harry also claimed in the interview that they were financially cut off by the royal family, with Harry saying that the royal family had, "literally cut me off financially". In June 2021, accompanying the royal family's annual financial report on its financial activities under the
Sovereign Grant The Sovereign Grant Act 2011 (c. 15) is the Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which introduced the Sovereign Grant, the payment which is paid annually to the monarch by the government in order to fund the monarch's official duties. It ...
,
Clarence House Clarence House is a royal residence on The Mall in the City of Westminster, London. It was built in 1825–1827, adjacent to St James's Palace, for the Duke of Clarence, the future king William IV. Over the years, it has undergone much exte ...
, Prince Charles's residence, released an additional statement revealing that he had provided financial support to Meghan and Harry as they were departing the royal family. The statement claimed that Charles had provided them a "substantial sum" to support their transition out of the royal family. The statement also noted that such financial support ceased in the summer of 2020. Some media outlets argued that this meant that the assertion in the interview had been false. However, other sources argued that their claim had not been false, since financial support, according to Clarence House's statement, had ceased during the summer of 2020, and Harry and Meghan had, themselves, per the royal family's financial report, repaid the royal family $3.3 million in reimbursement for renovations to
Frogmore Cottage Frogmore Cottage is a historic Grade II listed home on the Frogmore estate, which is part of Home Park in Windsor, England. Built in 1801 at the direction of Queen Charlotte in the gardens near Frogmore House, Frogmore Cottage is part of the Cro ...
. A spokesperson for Meghan and Harry stated in June 2021, "The Duke's comments during the Oprah interview were in reference to the first quarter of the fiscal reporting period in the U.K., which starts annually in April. This is the same date that the 'transitional year' of the Sandringham agreement began and is aligned with the timeline that Clarence House referenced."


Claims about lack of training on royal etiquette

During the interview, Meghan claimed that "there's no class on how to speak, how to cross your legs, how to be royal," and added that it might have existed for other members but not offered to her. In response to the claims, a former member of her staff told
CNN CNN (Cable News Network) is a multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel, and presently owned by the M ...
, "They bent over backwards as far as I could see. I think there was complete hospitality and kindness and grace." Another royal source added, "Everyone wanted to make it a success. The Queen's senior team were directed to avail themselves to ensure she had all the support needed." It was also reported that the Queen had personally instructed her aides, including her lady-in-waiting
Susan Hussey, Baroness Hussey of North Bradley Susan Katharine Hussey, Baroness Hussey of North Bradley, (''née'' Waldegrave; born 1 May 1939), known as Lady Susan Hussey, is a British noblewoman who served as a Woman of the Bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth II and as a Lady of the Household ...
, and her dresser Angela Kelly, to assist Meghan and offer her advice at Kensington Palace, which was described as "an unprecedented gesture of support" for a new member of the royal family.


Reception

There was a wide and polarized global reaction to the interview. The reaction was varied across different countries with more sympathy for the Queen and Royal Family in the UK, whereas in the US sympathy lay mostly with Harry and Meghan. On September 9, 2021, a clip of the Oprah interview was shown at the British
26th National Television Awards The 26th National Television Awards were held on 9 September 2021 at the O2. The ceremony was the first to be hosted by Joel Dommett who replaces David Walliams after only one year. The ceremony was originally scheduled for January 2021, but wa ...
, and "the audience reportedly started booing when Harry and Meghan appeared on-screen." The special was also nominated for an American
Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
and a 2021 Television Critics Award. In December 2021, ''
Vogue Vogue may refer to: Business * ''Vogue'' (magazine), a US fashion magazine ** British ''Vogue'', a British fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Arabia'', an Arab fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Australia'', an Australian fashion magazine ** ''Vogue China'', ...
'' named the interview among "The 10 Best Pop-Culture Moments of 2021". It also became the most searched interview in
Google Trends Google Trends is a website by Google that analyzes the popularity of top search queries in Google Search across various regions and languages. The website uses graphs to compare the search volume of different queries over time. On August 5, 20 ...
history.


In the media

Prior to the broadcast of the interview, American television network
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...
wrote of "daily episodes of royal drama in the shape of leaks, counterstatements and well-timed preview clips", which "may have been designed to build tension ahead of the interview". However, a
CNN CNN (Cable News Network) is a multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel, and presently owned by the M ...
analysis following the broadcast noted that, despite the preview clips generating attention in the week ahead of the broadcast, " infreys team ensured that nothing leaked" in regards to the biggest claims in the interview, resulting in "maximum shock value". On the day of the U.S. broadcast, comment was made in British newspaper ''The Observer'' that "in the United States, anglophiles and amateur royal watchers are simply sitting back and lapping up the show." Linda Holmes of NPR stated that the special was "painful and personal and unsparing about the cost of all this to Meghan particularly, and it was not anything the royal family would be excited to have people hear." ''The Hollywood Reporter'' wrote that the garden setting and Meghan's wardrobe "endow[ed] the two-hour interview with a kind of California casualness that belied the many upsetting and emotional revelations to follow." The publication also said it was "shocking how relatively open Harry was about his family". ''The Economist'' wrote that the interview's revelations "echoed Princess Diana's experience" and "also represents a burning of bridges." Talking to the BBC, Katie Nicholl argued that "Meghan isn't followed or chased by the paparazzi in the way Diana was", and added "I think Meghan has come under just as much scrutiny as any other member of the Royal family". She believed it was normal for the press to report on the royal family, "but it has to be fair and has to be impartial". In his report for
CNN CNN (Cable News Network) is a multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel, and presently owned by the M ...
, Max Foster outlined "inconsistencies" in the interview, including the couple's decision to be interviewed by a well-established journalist on a major network which was in contrast to their initial pledge to engage with "grassroots media organizations and young, up-and-coming journalists", as well as Meghan's claim of getting married three days before her and Harry's wedding despite the marriage license showing May 19 (date of the wedding) as the official date of legal marriage. Rachel Brodsky of the London ''The Independent, Independent'' wrote: "[T]he couple may never be free from the tabloids' monster grip. But at least, as Harry and Meghan have compellingly shown in their first real foray into taking back their narrative, they can be part of the conversation. And that is their choice to make." Writing for the same paper, Jamie Williams argued that the truth behind the couple's motives for emigrating lay somewhere between escaping the toxic treatment of Meghan by the British press and their desire to live a glamorous celebrity lifestyle, but he added that, nevertheless, "Meghan and Harry had the potential to become Britain's greatest branded asset as the decade unfolded, and for whatever reason, we, or they, or perhaps all of us, have screwed it up. Royally." In the lead sentence in ''Time (magazine), Time'', Candy Lang wrote, "There was one clear thread throughout Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s dynamic interview with Oprah Winfrey on Sunday night: They believe they were driven from the royal family because of racism".
Jonny Dymond Jonathan 'Jonny' David Dymond (born 15 February 1970 in Merton, London) is a British journalist. He is currently a Royal Correspondent for BBC News, having previously been the BBC's Washington Correspondent, Europe Correspondent (based in Bruss ...
of BBC wrote that the great contradictions due to "the merging of personal and public roles" within the family was the main factor which prompted the couple to leave. He wrote that the interview could be "a catalyst for change", but added that "the Crown has been around for a very long time, and change does not come easily to a body in which the past plays such an outsize role". Anita Singh from ''
The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally. It was fo ...
'' cited the interview as "a mix of straight-from-the-heart and stagey" and wrote that it "was really the Meghan and Oprah show, and the two women complemented each other perfectly." Writing for the same paper, historian Andrew Roberts (historian), Andrew Roberts believed the couple "took the deliberate decision to damage the institution of the monarchy as much as they possibly could on the way out", and added "if the monarchy really is a sinister racist institution, Harry and Meghan ought to resign their HRH titles and the Duchy of Sussex forthwith". Allison Pearson from ''The Daily Telegraph'' also criticized the interview and the couple's attitude, saying "The only truthful lens is their own. Anyone who comes up with facts which contradict their feelings is either frightened of the tabloids, trapped or racist – quite possibly all three". She also believed that Winfrey's lack of knowledge on the UK and its royal family made her unable to query the couple's unclear answers. Lucy Mangan of ''The Guardian'', however, praised Winfrey for her "patented blend of warmth, empathy and persistence [that] makes her still the best in the business" and wrote that Winfrey's reaction of "disbelief" toward comments made about Archie's skin spoke "to a fascinating level of general ignorance ..in the way the English aristocracy operates." Writing for ''The Observer'', Barbara Ellen was critical of the interview, stating "In this sprawling "nothing off-limits" interview, where were the questions the couple didn't want to answer? ..as race featured, why wasn't Harry directly grilled about the well-documented dismaying episodes of his youth, if only to give him the opportunity to show how far he'd come?" She also doubted that the couple would be able to form a close relationship with the American upper class, most of whom "are unlikely to feel true kinship with people who give explosive gut-spilling interviews, never mind leak private family conversations to showbiz journalists". Russell Myers, ''Daily Mirror''s royal editor, called into question Meghan's claim regarding the Palace throwing "holiday parties" for the tabloids, stating he "never got a ticket". On March 10, 2021, Ian Murray, the executive editor of the Society of Editors, was interviewed by Victoria Derbyshire on BBC News. Contradicting claims made by Prince Harry during the interview, Murray said, "the UK media is not bigoted and will not be swayed from its vital role holding the rich and powerful to account". In response to this, several news organisations withdrew from the society's Press Awards, as did ITV presenter Charlene White, who was due to host the event. Over 160 journalists also issued statements, disagreeing with Murray's claims. Murray resigned the following day. The Bureau of Investigative Journalism stated the society's "statement denying bigotry and racism in the UK media shows a lack of awareness and understanding of deep-rooted and persistent problems that we see". ''The Washington Post'' assessed the British media as reacting "in horror" to the interview. British tabloids, whose practices were heavily criticized in the interview, were particularly negative in their coverage of the interview. The United States media reacted generally favorably and sympathetically towards the interview. However, many Conservatism in the United States, conservative media outlets in the United States reacted negatively to the interview, and were defensive of the monarchy.


Piers Morgan remarks

On the March 8, 2021 edition of ITV's morning show Good Morning Britain (2014 TV programme), ''Good Morning Britain'' after the interview's U.S. airing, anchor Piers Morgan—who was briefly a friend of Meghan before she became the Duchess of Sussex, but claims she cut him off early in her relationship with Prince Harry—disputed the veracity of Meghan's contemplation of suicide, stating "I don't believe a word she says. ..I wouldn't believe her if she read me a weather report." Morgan's remarks were met with immediate backlash from viewers and other critics; broadcasting and telecom regulator Ofcom received over 41,000 complaints over the program. British mental health charity Mind (charity), Mind (which is a partner of a charity campaign with ITV's ''Britain's Got Talent'') expressed "disappointment" in the remarks, stating that mental health issues should be "treated with dignity, respect and empathy." On ''Good Morning Britain'' the following morning, Morgan distanced himself from his previous comments, stating that "if someone is feeling that way they should get the treatment and the help that they need every time. Every time. And if they belong to an institution like the royal family they should seek that help and be given it. It's not for me to question if she felt suicidal; I am not in her mind and that is for her to say." During the program, co-anchor Alex Beresford also criticized Morgan for his repeated on-air criticism of Meghan; "She's entitled to cut you off if she wants to. Has she said anything about you since she cut you off? I don’t think she has but yet you continue to trash her." In response to the comment, Morgan walked off the set; Beresford apologized to viewers, arguing that Morgan "spouts off on a regular basis" and "has the ability to talk from a position where he doesn't fully understand". Later that day, Ofcom announced that it would investigate the March 8 ''Good Morning Britain'' for violations of its Broadcasting Code. Shortly afterward, ITV announced that Morgan would leave ''Good Morning Britain'' effective immediately.
ITV News ITV News is the branding of news programmes on the British television network ITV. ITV has a long tradition of television news. Independent Television News (ITN) was founded to provide news bulletins for the network in 1955, and has since conti ...
later reported the Duchess had complained directly to ITV's Chief executive officer, CEO about Morgan's comments about mental health, although the broadcaster was not officially commenting on these reports. Meghan also complained to Ofcom about Morgan's comments. Her staff also reportedly emailed the BBC about their ''Today (BBC Radio 4), Today'' programme, and referring to the four commentators brought to discuss the interview, warned the corporation that having "three middle-aged white men discussing issues of race" was not ideal. The BBC responded by saying that they could not confirm or deny whether they had been contacted by an PRs, but added that they "had a broad range of voices on [their] output and don't believe there are any issues". In response to the backlash, Morgan issued a statement on Twitter on March 10, saying, "On Monday, I said I didn't believe Meghan Markle in her Oprah interview. I've had time to reflect on this opinion, and I still don't. Freedom of speech is a hill I'm happy to die on." He later stated, "I think the damage she's done to the British monarchy and to the Queen at a time when Prince Philip is lying in hospital is enormous and frankly contemptible." On March 17, it was revealed that complaints against Morgan had reached 57,000, breaking Ofcom's record. Morgan remained defiant, stating "Only 57,000? I've had more people than that come up and congratulate me in the street for what I said. The vast majority of Britons are right behind me." Ofcom cleared ITV of any wrongdoing in September 2021 and added that restricting Morgan's views would be a "chilling restriction" on freedom of speech but criticised his "apparent disregard" for the subject of suicide. Morgan described the ruling as "a resounding victory for free speech and a resounding defeat for Princess Pinocchios."


Political reaction

Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, UK prime minister Boris Johnson declined to comment when asked if he believed the royal family was racist, saying "when it comes to matters to do with the Royal Family, the right thing for prime ministers to say is nothing". The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs (United Kingdom), UK Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Zac Goldsmith criticized Harry on Twitter and said, "Harry is blowing up his family. 'What Meghan wants, Meghan gets.'" Leader of the Opposition (United Kingdom), UK opposition leader Keir Starmer said that Meghan's allegations about racism and a lack of mental health support should be taken "very, very seriously". Shadow Secretary of State for Education, Shadow education secretary Kate Green said the allegations were "really distressing" and "shocking". Labour Party (UK), Labour Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), MP and former Shadow Home Secretary, shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said she could cite "story after story when Meghan was treated quite differently from white members of the Royal Family". She also believed that with opening up about her mental health issues, Meghan could encourage black and mixed-race women to talk about their issues and vulnerabilities. After enquiries about a debate in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons in response to the couple's interview, Holly Lynch, who was the organizer of an open letter of support by 72 female MPs to the Duchess in 2019, said she and the other MPs who penned the letter were considering what necessary steps should be taken to prevent the "hounding" of high-profile women such as Meghan by the press. In the UK and elsewhere, there were also calls for the abolition of the monarchy. "The monarchy has just been hit by its worst crisis since the abdication in 1936. Whether for the sake of Britain or for the sake of the younger royals this rotten institution needs to go", said Graham Smith, CEO of Republic (political organisation), Republic, whilst Ken Ritchie of Labour for a Republic claimed the interview was evidence that the royal family were "no better" than the public. Ritchie said "The monarchy has always thrived on an air of mystery that just cannot be maintained in this age of the media," adding, "It is simply more likely that things like this are going to come out." ''The New York Times'' published an op-ed, "Down With the British Monarchy", in which Hamilton Nolan said "You cannot turn a bottle of poison into a refreshing drink, no matter how much sugar you pour into it." Prime minister of Australia, Australian prime minister Scott Morrison commented: "My personal position, I have always supported the constitutional monarchy." Conversely, Morrison's predecessor (and chair of the Australian Republican Movement from 1993 to 2000) Malcolm Turnbull argued that the interview strengthened the case for Australia Republicanism in Australia, becoming a republic by ending the monarchy of Australia. Meanwhile, when asked to comment following the interview, prime minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern stated that she has "not sensed an appetite from New Zealanders" to review Monarchy of New Zealand, the country's constitutional structure as a monarchy. New Zealand New Zealand House of Representatives, MP and co-leader of the Māori Party Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, who had criticized the Crown in the past, commented on the allegations of racism and said, "I don't know why everyone is so surprised that the Crown is racist". Prime Minister of Canada, Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau stated "I won't comment on what's going on over in the U.K., but I will continue to endeavour to fight against racism and intolerance every single day in Canada". He also sent his best wishes to the members of the Royal Family, adding that the people had the right to talk about constitutional change but the government's priority at the moment was to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, COVID-19 pandemic. Jagmeet Singh, leader of the New Democratic Party, also commented on the matter and said the Monarchy of Canada, Canadian monarchy "is in no way beneficial to Canadians in terms of their everyday life. And with the systematic racism that we've seen, it seems to be in that institution as well". A spokesperson for President of the United States, US president Joe Biden said he would praise anyone for having the courage to speak out about mental health. When asked about the interview in a press briefing, the White House Press Secretary, White House press secretary Jen Psaki described Harry and Meghan as "private citizens" who were "sharing their own story in their own struggles". Former United States secretary of state Hillary Clinton defended Meghan, saying: "This young woman was not about to keep her head down, you know, this is 2021". Commenting on Meghan's allegations of racism within the palace, former first lady of the United States Michelle Obama said, "it wasn't a complete surprise to hear." Speaking on the royal family, Obama also commented, "I pray for forgiveness and healing for them so that they can use this as a teachable moment for us all." In response to rumors that Meghan may run for president in 2024, former US president Donald Trump commented: "I'm not a fan of her. I know the Queen, as you know, I've met with the Queen and I think the Queen is a tremendous person and I am not a fan of Meghan." Otherwise, Trump reportedly stated: "You realize if you say anything negative about Meghan Markle, you get cancel culture, canceled. Look at Piers Morgan, Piers [Morgan]." In an interview with BBC, Prince Albert II of Monaco criticized the couple's decision to do a tell-all interview and stated, "These types of conversations should be held within the intimate quarters of the family, it doesn't really have to be laid out in the public sphere like that".


Reactions of the Royal Family and the Markle family

According to BBC News, the interview led to "crisis meetings involving senior royals". On March 9, Buckingham Palace released a statement in response, saying: "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. Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved family members." When asked about the interview by the reporters during a visit to an East London school on March 11, Prince William responded to the allegations of racism by saying, "We're very much not a racist family". Reporting on the couple's relationship with the royal family, ''CBS This Morning'' presenter Gayle King stated that Harry had started conversations with his father and brother but "those conversations were not productive". In response to the allegations of racism, a source close to the palace stated that in order to tackle the issue they had "the policies, the procedures and programmes in place but we haven't seen the progress we would like in terms of representation and more needs to be done, we can always improve". They added that it was "too early" to announce any "firm plans", but the royal family was supportive of the idea to have someone in charge of diversity and inclusion in the Royal Households of the United Kingdom, royal households. On March 9, Meghan's father Thomas Markle appeared on ''Good Morning Britain'' and apologized to his daughter for cooperating with the media outlets and making her feel betrayed. He added that he still remained estranged from Meghan. On March 25, Thomas Markle "hand delivered a letter to Oprah Winfrey – asking her to interview him about his relationship with estranged daughter Meghan". In response to Meghan's claim that she had seen her half-sister "at least 18 or 19 years ago", Samantha Markle provided ''Inside Edition'' with photographs of the two of them throughout the years, including one from Samantha's college graduation in 2008. Samantha also refuted Meghan's claim that she had changed her surname back to Markle after realizing that Meghan was dating Prince Harry by showing a petition for name change from 1997 as well as her college diploma, on which her surname appears as Markle. She also commented on her half-sister's mental health issues, stating that she had "no sympathy" for Meghan as "depression is not an excuse for treating people like dishrags and disposing of them". On March 3, 2022, Samantha sued Meghan by filing a defamation lawsuit in Florida, seeking damages in excess of $75,000. She accused Meghan of making "demonstrably false and malicious statements" which subjected her to "humiliation, shame and hatred on a worldwide scale," as well as damaging their father's reputation to fabricate a "rags to royalty" narrative. Meghan's lawyers described the lawsuit as "a continuation of a pattern of disturbing behavior." In a response filed in May 2022, Meghan's attorneys argued that her half-sister's claims were "demonstrably false", and the statements made by Meghan during the Oprah interview were either "non-actionable opinion or substantially true". In June 2022, Meghan's initial motion to dismiss the case was rejected by a judge following amendments made by Samantha in her complaints. She filed a second motion in the same month, stating that the deletion of "numerous specific factual allegations and exhibits from her original complaint" combined with the lack of facts had undermined Samantha's case, and argued a judge or jury would not be able to pass judgements about the state of their relationship. Meghan's lawyers have argued that her comments regarding her upbringing in the interview were unfalsifiable and subjective statements of her feelings, rather than objective facts.


Public opinion

A poll conducted by YouGov on March 8, after the American and Canadian broadcasts but ahead of the broadcast in the United Kingdom, found that a majority of adults in Great Britain had little sympathy for the royal couple. While 56% responded that they had "none at all" or "not very much" sympathy, 17% had "a fair amount" of sympathy, 12% had "a lot" of sympathy and 15% stated that they did not know. Another poll by YouGov in the same timeframe found that 21% of British adults thought that the interview was "appropriate" and 47% thought it was "inappropriate"; by contrast, 44% of American adults described it as "appropriate" and 20% described it as "inappropriate." Subsequent polling conducted on March 12 found that 48% of British respondents had a negative attitude of Harry compared to 45% with a positive view, "the first time his net favorability rating had been negative". Additionally, three in 10 people had a positive view of Meghan, while 58% held a negative opinion. Another YouGov poll after the interview found at 68% of American adults surveyed either had "a fair amount" or "a lot" of sympathy with Harry and Meghan, whereas only 22% of British adults surveyed had sympathy with Harry and Meghan. Meghan and Harry witnessed a decline in their popularity with the British public. In polls conducted a month after the interview aired, the public opinion of most senior royals improved. In contrast, Meghan and Harry's popularity further decreased between April and August 2021. Polling by Morning Consult found United States residents had a far more favorable view of Meghan and Harry than the British did. It also found that Meghan and Harry were viewed more favorably by those who watched the interview. In addition, it found that the interview had done little damage to the favorability of other members of the royal family with United States residents who watched the interview. A more recent YouGov US poll, taken between March 13 and 17, found that Harry and Meghan's popularity in the United States declined after the interview. A poll by ''The New Zealand Herald'' after the Oprah interview found that a majority of New Zealanders were more sympathetic to the Royal Family than to Meghan and Harry. Polling by Léger (company), Léger and the Association for Canadian Studies found that, after the interview, an increased number of Canadians believed that the Canadian monarchy is obsolete. Polling conducted after the interview by extra.ie found the Ireland, Irish public to be unsympathetic to Harry and Meghan.


Viewership

According to CBS, the special had been seen by over 49.1 million viewers worldwide through March 8.


Awards and nominations


See also

*''Charles: The Private Man, the Public Role'', a 1994 documentary and interview with Charles, Prince of Wales *"An Interview with HRH The Princess of Wales", a 1995 interview with
Diana, Princess of Wales Diana, Princess of Wales (born Diana Frances Spencer; 1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997) was a member of the British royal family. She was the first wife of King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) and mother of Princes William and Harry. Her ac ...
*"(Almost) Straight Outta Compton", a 2016 tabloid article headline about Meghan and her mother's background


References


External links

* * {{Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex 2020s American television specials 2021 in American television 2021 television specials CBS television specials Harpo Productions British Royal interviews Meghan, Duchess of Sussex Oprah Winfrey Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex Royal scandals