Suicide, racism and Queen: Key highlights from Meghan, Harry's interview to Oprah
The interview with Winfrey was the couple’s first since they stepped down from royal duties and the two-hour special included numerous revelations likely to reverberate on both sides of the Atlantic.
The rift in the British royal family came out in the open for public scrutiny and inspection after Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle sat down for a tell-all interview with iconic talk show host Oprah Winfrey on Sunday.
The interview with Winfrey was the couple’s first since they stepped down from royal duties and the two-hour special included numerous revelations likely to reverberate on both sides of the Atlantic.
The interview aired in the United States a full day before Britain. The revelations aren't over: Winfrey teased additional bits of the interview would be shown Monday morning on CBS.
Meghan on racism around son Archie and him not receiving the prince title:
"They didn't want him to be a prince or princess, not knowing what the gender would be, which would be different from protocol, and (said) that he wasn't going to receive security.
"In those months when I was pregnant ... we have in tandem the conversation of, you won't be given security, not gonna be given a title and also concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he's born."
Meghan declined to name who expressed those concerns: "I think that would be very damaging to them. That was relayed to me from Harry; those were the conversations that family had with him."
{{/usCountry}}Meghan declined to name who expressed those concerns: "I think that would be very damaging to them. That was relayed to me from Harry; those were the conversations that family had with him."
{{/usCountry}}Meghan on considering suicide:
{{/usCountry}}Meghan on considering suicide:
{{/usCountry}}"I just didn't want to be alive anymore. And that was a very clear and real and frightening constant thought. And I remember how he (Harry) just cradled me."
{{/usCountry}}"I just didn't want to be alive anymore. And that was a very clear and real and frightening constant thought. And I remember how he (Harry) just cradled me."
{{/usCountry}}She said she went to senior people in the institution to ask for help.
{{/usCountry}}She said she went to senior people in the institution to ask for help.
{{/usCountry}}"I went to the institution and I said that I needed to go somewhere to get help ... And I was told that I couldn't, that it wouldn't be good for the institution.
{{/usCountry}}"I went to the institution and I said that I needed to go somewhere to get help ... And I was told that I couldn't, that it wouldn't be good for the institution.
{{/usCountry}}"I remember this conversation like it was yesterday, because they said, my heart goes out to you because I see how bad it is, but there's nothing we can do to protect you because you're not a paid employee of the institution.
{{/usCountry}}"I remember this conversation like it was yesterday, because they said, my heart goes out to you because I see how bad it is, but there's nothing we can do to protect you because you're not a paid employee of the institution.
{{/usCountry}}"This wasn't a choice. This was emails and begging for help, saying very specifically I am concerned for my mental welfare."
Asked if she thinking of harming herself, or having suicidal thoughts, while pregnant with her first child she said:
"Yes. This was very, very clear ... and very scary."
Harry on "blindsiding" the queen:
Harry, asked whether he told his family about his plans to step away from his royal roles and about a newspaper story that they had "blindsided" the queen with their decision:
"I've never blindsided my grandmother, I have too much respect for her."
Meghan, too, was complimentary toward the queen, despite saying at one point she realised some in the palace were willing to lie to “protect other members of the family.”
“The queen has always been wonderful to me,” Meghan said.
Harry confirms Prince Charles stopped taking his calls:
"I had three conversations with my grandmother, and two conversations with my father before he stopped taking my calls. And then he said, can you put this all in writing?"
Asked why Prince Charles had stopped taking his calls:
"By that point, I took matters into my own hands, it was like, I needed to do this for my family. This is not a surprise to anybody. It's really sad that it's got to this point, but I've got to do something for my own mental health, my wife's and for Archie's as well."
Meghan on Kate making her cry before her wedding:
Meghan, on a newspaper story that she made Prince William's wife Kate cry over flower girls' dresses before Meghan and Harry's wedding:
"The narrative with Kate, which didn't happen, was really, really difficult and something that I think that's when everything changed really."
Asked if she made Kate cry: "The reverse happened. A few days before the wedding she was upset about something, pertaining to ... the flower girl dresses, and it made me cry. And it really hurt my feelings."
"There wasn't a confrontation and ... I don't think it's fair to her to get into the details of that because she apologised, and I have forgiven her. What was hard to get over was being blamed for something that not only I didn't do, but that happened to me."
"I'm not sharing that piece about Kate in any way to be disparaging to her."
