Queen Elizabeth vows to 'privately' address Harry and Meghan's allegations
Buckingham Palace has broken its silence on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's bombshell interview.
Two days after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex spoke with Oprah Winfrey for a jaw-dropping conversation, Buckingham Palace released a statement on Tuesday on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II, who called their allegations "concerning."
"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 said. "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."
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Among the most shocking claims made in the interview was that there were "concerns and conversations" in the royal family about "how dark" their baby Archie's skin would be when he was born. They didn't reveal who raised these concerns, though Harry told Winfrey that it wasn't Queen Elizabeth or Prince Philip.
Markle also described how she had "methodical" thoughts of suicide after she joined the British royal family and said she "needed to go somewhere to get help" but was told she couldn't do so because "it wouldn't be good for the institution." The interview took place over a year after Harry and Meghan stepped back from the royal family in 2020; it drew massive ratings and put pressure on Buckingham Palace to address the claims.
"Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved family members," Buckingham Palace's statement said.
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Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
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