19 June 2024 , 12:10
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In the years since they stepped down from the royal family, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have aimed plenty of public criticisms at members of the monarchy.
The couple are now all but estranged from the Firm - and the fall out can be traced back to their explosive tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021. In it, they alleged there were 'conversations' about son Archie's skin colour amongst royal members, and claimed that Harry had been financially cut off by his family.
Their bombshell revelations rocked the royals - so much so that Prince William broke his silence to defend the monarchy, firmly stating: "We're very much not a racist family."
His uncle Prince Edward and wife Sophie took a different approach, however. When asked about the much-discussed interview by The Telegraph, the Prince simply said, "Oprah, who?" while Sophie added with a laugh, "What interview?"
Their comments came after Meghan reportedly refused Sophie's help in adjusting to life in the Royal Family.
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Meghan quit her acting career upon marrying Harry in 2018 and pledged to "hit the ground running" on becoming a working royal. But author and in his book, Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait: "The Queen (who, of course, had seen it all before) understood that Harry's girl might find adjusting to Royal life 'challenging to begin with' (as she put it). 'It is very jolty, but you soon get used to it'. That was Her Majesty's experience going back many years.
"To help Meghan, the Queen suggested that her daughter-in-law, Sophie Wessex, would be an ideal mentor. 'Sophie can help show you the ropes,' said the Queen. "Meghan made it clear that she did not feel she needed Sophie's help. She had Harry."
Manewhile, while the Royal Family tend to follow the late Queen's mantra, 'Never complain, never explain', the Palace did decide to release a statement on behalf of the monarch in response to the Oprah interview.
It read: "The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan. The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately. Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved family members."