In a no-holds-barred royal interview that echoed the one given by Princess Diana, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry shared to the world the challenges and lack of support they received from the British royal family.
The heavily circulated takeaways from the interview were troubling. Meghan divulged her severe mental health struggles in the face of tabloid vilification, that Buckingham palace did not move to dispel lies about her, and that members of the royal family were concerned about the potential colour of her son Archie’s skin.
Following the interview, which was discussed and memed by audiences around the world, Queen Elizabeth II released a statement.
“The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan,” she said. “The issues, 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.”
The statement was found lacklustre by many, with some pointing out the phrase, “While some recollections may vary,” as quite defensive and undermining. Apparently, the assumption was correct. Per a royal insider source, the line was an “underlying jab.” While it’s unclear what specific recollections the phrase is about, we wouldn’t be surprised if it was about Meghan’s race.
Prince Harry has confirmed that it was not his mother Queen Elizabeth or her husband Prince Philip who were the royal family members who made the comment about Archie’s skin colour. When Meghan was prompted by Oprah on the same topic, she also declined to identify the family member, saying, “I think that would be very damaging to them.”
Shortly after the Queen’s statement was released, Prince William, Harry’s brother and husband to Kate Middleton spoke with Sky News. “We are very much not a racist family,” he claimed. As yet, no other royals have commented on the interview. However, Prince Charles is reportedly in “a state of despair” over the situation.
