In a groundbreaking, tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry dropped bombshell after bombshell last night (Mar. 07, 2021). Here are the 7 biggest shockers from the interview:
1. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are having a baby girl
Let's start on a positive note. The couple revealed that their second child will be a girl.
“Amazing, just grateful,” Harry said, describing his feelings. “To have any child, any one or any two would have been amazing. But to have a boy and then a girl, what more could you ask for?” he said.
But they will not be trying to become parents for a third time. “Two is it,” Meghan said, adding their daughter is due in the summer.
2. Meghan Markle did not make Kate Middleton cry, the reverse happened
Markle disputed tabloid stories claiming she had made Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge and wife of heir-to-the-throne Prince William, cry ahead of her wedding to Prince Harry — a story that U.K. tabloids broke months after the May 2018 event.
The Suits alum said that, in fact, “the reverse happened,” with Markle’s sister-in-law, bringing her to tears during an argument about flower girl dresses. “A few days before the wedding, she was upset about something — the subject really was flower girl dresses — she made me cry and hurt my feelings,” Markle said.
But she has no hard feelings toward her sister-in-law, whom she said, “owned it and she apologized.” But when the incorrect story was reported months later, she said the palace wouldn’t let anyone speak out to correct it.
3. Meghan Markle contemplated suicide, and the palace denied her help
The pressure of royal life and her treatment by the British tabloids became so intense that Markle said she considered suicide. “I just didn’t see a solution,” she told Winfrey. “I realized it was all happening just because I was breathing. I was really ashamed to say it at the time and ashamed to admit it to Harry, especially because I knew he had suffered. But I knew that if I didn’t say it — then I would do it. I just didn’t want to be alive anymore. That was clear and real and frightening and constant thought.”
But when she attempted to get mental health care, Markle said the palace made it extraordinarily difficult. “I went to one of the most senior people to get help,” she said, asserting that she was told “there is nothing we can do to help you because you are not a paid member of the institution” and that getting treatment “wouldn’t be good for the institution.”
4. The royal family was concerned about how dark Archie's skin would be
Markle revealed that there were “concerns and conversations about how dark [son Archie’s] skin was going to be when he was born”.
“I know how important representation is,” she said, highlighting the British Commonwealth.
Later on in the interview, Harry confirmed this but said, “That conversation, I’m never going to share. It was awkward and I was a bit shocked.”
5. Before he was born, the palace wanted to strip Archie of his title and security
“They didn’t want him to be a prince,” the former Suits star told Winfrey about the royal family’s concerns when she became pregnant with her son, Archie. “Which would be different from protocol, and that he wasn’t going to receive security.”
In addition, she said, “We have in tandem the conversation of, ‘He won’t be given security. He’s not going to be given a title.'”
Markle was also upset about the precedent — and optics of it. “The idea of the first member of color in this family not being titled in the same way that other grandchildren would be… it’s not their right to take it away,” she said. “They said they wanted to change that convention for Archie — well, why?”
6. Prince Harry was worried that what happened to Princess Diana would happen to Meghan Markle
Prince Harry gave some insight into his decision to leave the Royal family, talking about how trapped he felt and admitting that if it wasn’t for Markle, he probably would never have realized he was trapped — or been able to leave.
He also said the treatment of Markle by both the U.K. media and some members of the palace reminded him of the torment endured by his mother, Princess Diana. “My biggest concern was history repeating itself,” he said. “When I’m talking about history repeating itself, I’m talking about my mother.”
He also noted that the treatment of Markle was “far more dangerous” because of the additional factors of race and the rise of social media.
7. Prince Charles stopped taking Prince Harry's calls
Harry also opened up about the current relationships with his family members, noting that he’s spoken more to his grandmother than he has in years and described his relationship with his brother, Prince William, as one of “space at the moment.”
He is more conflicted about his father, Prince Charles, who would not take his phone calls for some time. “I feel really let down,” Harry said. “Because he’s been through something similar, he knows what pain feels like, and he’s Archie’s grandfather. But at the same time, you know, of course, I will always love him. But there’s a lot of hurt that’s happening and I will continue to make it one of my priorities to try and heal that relationship.”
There was more, like Prince Harry stating that he is enjoying some space from Prince William in order to heal and that Harry did not blindside his grandmother as the two are still very close. I have to say that I was very doubtful that there was going to be enough material to sustain a two-hour interview, but Oprah delivered!
