The Duke and Duchess of Sussex — Harry and Meghan — announced they had suffered through racist remarks while they lived with the royal family. The interview was conducted by Oprah Winfrey and was aired on March 7, 2021. On Tuesday, March 9, the royal family released a statement about the couple’s interview.
The royal family stated they were completely “saddened’ to hear about the struggles that Meghan and Harry revealed. They further stated that they would take these allegations seriously. This is the first statement released by the royal family since the interview was filmed and aired.
The statement released on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II said that the problems “raised, particularly that of race, are concerning.” It further read, “While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously…” The family plans on addressing these concerns “privately.”
The release also said that the Duke and Duchess “and Archie” will always be beloved “family members. Many speculators felt that the silence from Buckingham Palace’s added fuel to what the interview insinuated. The Duke and Duchess’ interview has caused a widespread of emotions around the world.
Some focused on the #MeToo and #BlackLivesMatter movements. Others on the poor timing of the interview’s release — due to the Queen’s husband being in the hospital. Prince Philip still remains hospitalized after his heart procedure.
During the two-hour-long interview, Meghan told Winfrey that she felt miserable and isolated inside the royal family. She even mentioned that she had suicidal thoughts while living in the palace. Meghan also said that she asked for mental health help from the resources staff within the palace. According to her, she was told that she was not a paid employee so they would not assist her.
Winfrey stated in a later comment that Harry told her off the camera that Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip were not participants in the racist remarks. Of course, this has caused further speculations on who actually made the Duke and Duchess’ life’s miserable inside the royal family.
The stresses that the couple endured caused a rift between Harry, his father, and other royal family members. This is partly the reason why the couple stepped away from their royal duties and move to California in 2020.
Written by Sheena Robertson
Source:
AP News: UK palace ends silence on Harry, Meghan racism allegations; by Danica Kirka
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