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The Queen has said accusations of racism in the ranks of the royal family will be “taken very seriously” while contesting that “some recollections may vary” from those presented by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in their bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey.
The rare intervention from the head of state, who has historically kept quiet on matters of controversy, comes after claims of “crisis talks” in the palace due to the fallout from the televised interview, in which the couple detailed their reasons for leaving their life as working royals behind.
However while the palace statement acknowledged the “challenging” circumstances the couple had faced, the comments also appeared to attempt to cast doubt on some claims – with the statement released by the palace on behalf of the Queen saying “some recollections may vary” when it came to allegations of racism.
Among the charges levelled against the royal institution by the couple in their interview with Ms Winfrey were claims that while Meghan was pregnant with their son, Archie, there were “concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he’s born”.
“The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan”, the statement read.
“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.”
The Sussexes announced they would step back from senior royal life in January last year before ceding their position as working royals altogether.
However their tell-all interview with one of America’s most revered cultural icons has brought light to the couple’s reasons for leaving royal life – including claims of racism and a failure to act on the mental health concerns of the Duchess, who said she had been warned off seeking medical help after having suicidal thoughts.
Following the interview Ms Winfrey clarified that the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were not involved in the alleged conversation around the skin tone of the couple’s child.
She told CBS This Morning on Monday “He did not share the identity with me, but he wanted to make sure that I knew, and if I had an opportunity to share it, that it was not his grandmother, nor his grandfather, that were a part of those conversations”.
The statement followed the first public appearance by Prince Charles since the interview aired, with the royal electing not to respond to a question on the matter to the press who had gathered.
Instead the Prince of Wales arrived at the NHS vaccine pop-up clinic at Jesus House church in north London to welcome staff and volunteers involved in the rollout of the coronavirus immunisation. Responding to one worker, who said she was from Nigeria, he said: “Oh fantastic, yes, I’ve been there. Lots of different ethnic groups. Do give them my kind regards next time you speak to them”.
Prince Harry had told Ms Winfrey that he had felt “really let down” by his father in the wake of his decision to step away from royal life, adding that the Prince of Wales had stopped taking his calls after the couple moved to North America.
“I will always love him,” Harry said of this father, “but there’s a lot of hurt that’s happened. And I will continue to make it one of my priorities to try and heal that relationship”.
Meghan’s father meanwhile appeared on ITV’s Good Morning Britain to respond to claims made about him in the interview. Speaking from Rosarito in Mexico, he said he was “disappointed” she had accused him of “betraying” her by colluding with the British tabloid press to profit from her profile.
However Mr Markle, who has a strained relationship with his actor daughter, implied he would continue to interact with the press as a means of provoking the couple – saying “I’ll do a story for the press if I don’t hear from them… When they decide to talk to me, I’ll stop talking to the press”.
Meanwhile the show’s presenter Piers Morgan stepped down from his role on the show on Tuesday evening after 6 years of broadcast following widespread complaints over his response to the Duchess’ mental health the previous day.
Media regulator Ofcom said it had recieved more than 41,000 complaints after the often contrarian Mr Morgan had responded to the Duchess’ claim that she had been told not to seek help after having thoughts of suicide by saying “I’m sorry, I don’t believe a word she said, Meghan Markle. I wouldn’t believe it if she read me a weather report”.
In a previously unreleased clip from the interview that was shared by Ms Winfrey’s publication O, The Oprah Magazine on Tuesday, Meghan said she believed “everyone has a basic right to privacy”.
She added: ““If you’re at work and you have a photograph of your child on your desk, and your co-worker says, ‘Oh, my gosh, your kid’s so cute. That’s fantastic! Can I see your phone so I can see all the pictures of your child?’ You go, ‘No, this is the picture I’m comfortable sharing with you’.
“And then if they double down and say, ‘No, but you already showed me that one, so you have to show me everything. You know what, I’m just gonna hire someone to sit in front of your house, or hide in the bushes and take pictures into your backyard, because you’ve lost your right to privacy because you shared one image with me’”.
“That’s sort of the flawed argument and operating mechanism they’re confusing people to think. I think life is about being able to share our stories, share parts of our lives that you’re comfortable with.”
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