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Prince Harry and Meghan’s bombshell interview with Oprah: Harry fears family may be in danger

Pierra WillixThe West Australian
VideoSunrise Royal Editor Rob Jobson shares his thoughts about Harry and Meghan’s tell-all interview

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have dropped a succession of bombshells in an explosive interview with talk-show queen Oprah Winfrey, including the fact she contemplated ending it all.

Meghan admitted she had been naive about what marrying into the royal family would entail and that she and Harry had actually said ‘I do’ officially three days before their glitzy ceremony was beamed across televisions around the world days later.

In an admission sure to fuel a greater split with Prince William, Meghan also revealed his wife Kate made her cry during the wedding preparations.

In the unprecedented two-hour interview where no questions were off limits, their chat with Winfrey courted controversy due to the usually private nature of the British royal family.

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Although the interview won’t air in Australia until 7.30 tonight, it screened in the United States on CBS from 9am on Monday WA time.

While the pair have come under fire for accepting the interview, they are not the first members of the family to speak to Oprah — following her split from Prince Andrew, in 1996 Sarah ‘Fergie’ Ferguson spoke about how life as a royal was “not a fairy tale”.

When Harry met Meghan

Unsurprisingly, their chat began with a conversation about when Harry first met Meghan — with the former American Suits actor admitting she had to Google her husband as she “didn’t grow up watching the royal family”.

She also said she “didn’t fully understand what the job was” and what she would be required to do once she got married.

But the first bombshell to be dropped was the admission they actually got married three days before their televised 2018 wedding,

“The spectacle was for the world,” she said.

Kate v Meghan

For years, rumours have persisted that Meghan made Prince William’s wife Kate Middleton cry ahead of the wedding, but it turns out it that wasn’t true at all.

“The narrative with Kate which didn't happen was really difficult ... the reverse happened. I don't say that to be disparaging – it was a really hard week. She sent me flowers, she apologised. But six, seven months after our wedding, the reverse (story) happened? I would never have wanted that to come out for her.”

She also spoke of how they have been pitted against one another.

“If you love me you don't have to hate her, and if you hate me you don't have to love her,” she said.

Oprah then read some headlines about the pair to her, highlighting how differently each had been treated by the tabloids.

“I can see what's at play there. They seem to want a narrative of a hero and villain,” she said.

Oprah also asked her about the interview she gave on her tour of South Africa with Prince Harry, where she famously broke down in tears and told a journalist she was “not ok”.

“We were making it look like everything was fine — our job was to be on and smile. When he asked me that, I guess it had never occurred to anyone that I wasn't OK and I was suffering.”

‘The Firm’

Not unlike her mother-in-law Princess Diana’s infamous 1995 Panorama interview, Meghan also took aim at the royal institution.

“Everyone in my world was given very clear directive from the moment the world knew Harry and I were dating to always say ‘no comment’. We did, because it was also through the lens of ‘we’ll protect you’… it was only once we were married and everything started to worsen, that I realised not only were we not being protected, they were willing to lie to protect other members of the family,” she said.

However, she did say the Queen has “always been wonderful to me”.

While she said the family welcomed her, “the firm” prevented her from going for lunch with her friends and criticised her for going out.

“I have left the house twice in four months. There's very little that I was allowed to do. When you've come from freedom,” she said.

When the teaser trailer for the interview was released last week, Oprah questioned Meghan on whether she was “silent or silenced” created a stir.

That part of the interview began with Meghan saying that she had always “worked … valued independence ... advocated for so long for women to use their voice. And then I was silent”.

Oprah: “Were you silent or were you silenced?”

Meghan “The latter”

Archie’s birth

In the lead up to her son’s birth, Meghan said it was decided he would not be afforded any security.

Shockingly, she also revealed that her baby’s skin colour was discussed before Archie was born.

“There were also concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he was born,” she said.

‘I just didn’t want to be alive’

Being at the centre of such pressure and an intense media storm, Meghan has said she contemplated suicide.

“I was ashamed to say it at the time and ashamed to have to admit it to Harry. 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.”

Despite going to a senior royal aide, she was told that she couldn’t get treatment because it would reflect badly on the institution.

She also couldn’t enter herself into hospital as her passport was not in her possession.

Meghan said she turned to one of Princess Diana’s friends for help.

When asked by Oprah if she was worried about backlash from the palace, she did not hold back.

“I think I’m not going to live my life in fear. I don’t know how they could expect that after all of this time we would still just be silent if there is an active role that the firm is playing in perpetuating falsehoods about us…And if it that comes with risk of losing things…there’s a lot that’s been lost already. And I grieve a lot. I’ve lost my father. I lost a baby. I nearly lost my name. There’s a loss of identity, but I’m still standing. And my hope for people in the takeaway of this is to know that there’s another side, and to know that life is worth living.”

Baby’s sex revealed

In happier news, when Prince Harry joined the interview the couple announced that they are expecting a daughter.

“To have a boy and then a girl, what more could you ask for,” he says, before Meghan says they will be stopping at two.

Security fears

After deciding to step down from their royal duties, Harry has revealed that he was told at short notice their security would be removed.

“They said it was because of the change of status—I asked if there was a change of threat.”

He said he was concerned the danger his family may then be placed in.

While the pair wanted to “take a breath” and asked if they could settle in a country like New Zealand, they were denied the request.

Alluding to his mother’s death, Prince Harry said he was concerned about “history repeating itself”.

“To receive no help at all and to be told ‘this is just how it is, we've all been through it’”.

When questioned why he left, Harry told Oprah said it was due to a “lack of support and lack of understanding”.

He said he didn’t approach his family for help or support because he was ashamed.

“It's a very trapping environment that they're stuck in. The family have a mentality of, 'This is how it is, you can't change it, and we’ve all been through it.' But what was different here was the race element. That triggered the conversations with my family and palace staff where I said: 'This is not going to end well.'”.

When they were told security would be taken away, Meghan said she wrote letters to his family urging them to help.

“I've seen the letters, I've seen the death threats,” she said.

But, she was told “it’s just not possible”.

Prince Charles’ cold shoulder

While he denied blindsiding his grandmother (whom he spoke to many times about stepping down), his father Prince Charles stopped taking his calls because “I took matters in my own hands”.

He went on to reveal that Charles demanded his decision in writing.

After taking aim at the Daily Mail for revealing where they were living in Canada, Harry went on to say that it hurt that his family never spoke out publicly in support of his wife, and that they were “scared” of the British tabloid press.

“I am acutely aware how scared my family are that the tabloids will turn on them”.

Australia tour beginning of the end

He also said that while his family were very supportive of Meghan at the start, “it all changed after the Australia tour”.

“That brought back memories. To see how effortless it was for Meghan to come into the family and be able to connect with people,” he said.

But he suggested her popularity lead to jealousy among other royals.

Articulating what we all know but that has never been admitted by such a senior member of the royals, Harry said his family are “trapped” in the system.

“My father and brother are trapped in the system like the rest of my family are. They don’t get to leave. I have huge compassion for that.”

Megxit

She also denied the rumours that she was the instigator of ‘Megxit’, saying she was ready to commit her life to public service.

Walking away has also meant they were cut off financially, with Prince Harry saying the only money he has access to is what Princess Diana left him.

“My family literally cut me off financially in the first quarter of 2020,” he said.

“I have got what my mum left me. I think my mum saw it coming. And I felt my Mum's presence through this process.”

The royal rift

There have been persistent rumours of a rift between Harry and elder brother William, which he seemed to confirm.

“Much will continue to be said about that. I love William to bits… but we were on different paths,” he said.

He also said his relationship with his father is strained.

“There is a lot to work though there…Archie is his grandson…I will always love him but there is a lot of hurt that has happened,” he said.

When questioned by Oprah on who in his family expressed concern over the colour of his son’s skin, he said it was a conversation he was “never going to share. I am not comfortable sharing that”.

However he did say he had spoken to his grandmother more in the past year than he had in “many, many years”.

Harry ‘saved us all’

As the interview wrapped up, Meghan said her husband “saved” her life.

“Harry saved all of us, he ultimately called it and said ‘we have got to find a way’. You made a decision that saved my life and saved all of us.”

Harry also said he has been relishing a sense of freedom that he never had growing up — and that one of his favourite things was taking Archie on the back of his bike.

He was again asked about his brother and replied “the relationship is space at the moment…time heals all things”.

In the closing moments Harry said he was proud for what his wife had overcome, while Meghan said she regretted believing the palace would protect her.

“Now, we've not just survived but are thriving. All those things I was hoping for have happened,” she said.

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