The UK’s Prince and Princess of Wales were reportedly unhappy with an official palace statement after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle sensationally accused the Royal family of racism during an interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021. During the interview, which took place after Harry and Meghan left the United Kingdom to settle in California, Meghan Markle described a conversation inside palace walls that included speculation about what color the couple’s child would be. Meghan is of mixed race, and Harry has red hair.
In a significant break with Royal tradition and protocol, after several weeks of media storm on both sides of the Atlantic, Buckingham Palace issued a formal statement – breaching its “never complain, never explain” philosophy.
The late Queen, Elizabeth II, stated that she was concerned about the racism accusations, but in a move more in tune with the typical Royal response, she said this would be handled privately. “While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately,” the statement read. It went on to describe Harry and Meghan as beloved family members, but much of the British public did not agree.
In the wake of the infamous interview, polling showed that most British people viewed Prince Harry negatively for the first time. Previously one of the most popular Royals, Harry suddenly found himself on the receiving end of overwhelmingly negative press coverage. The Daily Mirror ran with a headline describing the “sadness” felt by senior Royals, while some reporters accused them of selling out the family for financial gain.
Tabloid newspapers, including The Sun, called the couple “whingers,” with many placing the bulk of the blame at Markle’s feet. The Sun ran a story in which the Californian was described as a bully who was “genuinely unkind” to palace staff.
TV host Piers Morgan delivered one of the most stinging blows when he tweeted that Harry hated his family, the Monarchy, and Great Britain.
Royal expert Russell Myers wrote in the Daily Mail that Harry and Meghan’s “lack of self-awareness” was “breathtaking.” Others said the couple were “self-indulgent and selfish.” Even the White House weighed in. Then-Press Secretary Jen Psaki took a somewhat more positive view, however, and described the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as courageous for coming forward and telling their story from their own perspective.
Nevertheless, according to recent revelations, Harry’s brother, Prince William, and his wife Catherine, Princess of Wales, wanted the palace to respond more robustly after the interview initially aired.
Author Robert Jobson, who has written a book on the episode, said Buckingham Palace’s statement was originally even milder, but the Princess of Wales objected and asked that it be beefed up. Jobson claims that the statement “recollections may vary” was inserted by the Princess, who wanted it known that Markle’s description of what went on behind Palace doors was not necessarily accurate. Future King Prince William insisted that the phrase “we are very much not a racist family” also be added to the official Royal response.
Brothers Prince William and Prince Harry have remained estranged since the interview. When Harry visited his home country last year, his father, the King, did not meet with him, saying his diary was too full.