Last night, the interview of the decade was broadcast in the UK, as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex (Harry and Meghan to us commoners) spoke to TV royalty Oprah Winfrey about their decision to step down as senior members of the Royal family. The blockbuster two-hour interview was jam-packed with shocking revelations, and looks to be a huge blow to the Firm, who will have been watching with heavy hearts and very squeaky bums as the couple laid into them.
Without further ado, then, let's delve into what was said that fateful night, and consider some of the impacts this might have on the Monarchy, and some members in particular.
The Kids
The interview began with just Meghan and Oprah, chatting first about the Sussex's new arrival in the Summer, which Meghan confirmed will be a girl. The discussion then moved onto Archie, their son, who it was decided would not be made a Prince, and thus will not receive security protections, which Meghan expressed concerns about - namely that as the first member of colour in the family, Archie is not being treated the same as other grandchildren of the Queen. We should note here that as seventh in line to the throne, Archie is not entitled to be an HRH or a Prince due to rules set out more than 100 years ago by King George V, but Meghan suggested it was a missed opportunity for the Family to show the world it can modernise.
Meghan's Mental Health
In what was undoubtedly the most powerful section of the interview, Meghan outlined her experience of being within the family after the wedding. She described her naivety coming into the role, and how she received little help with assimilating into the new lifestyle. She also spoke of the loneliness she experienced, which felt strikingly similar to that which Princess Diana spoke of in her Panorama interview almost thirty years ago. Meghan described how she had suicidal thoughts, and when she sought help from senior members of the family she was turned away, because it would reflect badly on the institution. Given the track record of the Firm on these kinds of issues (Princess Diana's reported bulimia, Princess Margaret's alcoholism etc.), it does not surprise me that Meghan too received no support.
It is also not surprising that Meghan spoke of the lack of protection she received from the Royal Press Office, who told her they would get on top of any negative press about her. The British media has been particularly brutal, and arguably racist, towards Meghan, and it does seem as though the Firm has done little to quash these (often untrue, as Meghan described in the case of her reportedly making Kate cry, when in fact the opposite was true) rumours, even lying to protect more senior Royals when the truth favoured the Duchess. This again sounds very familiar - Diana was hidden away when the Firm didn't like all the attention she was getting shortly after she married Charles.
The Prince of Wales
Of all the senior members of the Royal Family, it was Harry's father Charles who undoubtedly came out worst. The Sussex's both praised the Queen for being welcoming towards Meghan, even sharing a heart-warming blanket anecdote, and when asked if he blindsided Her Majesty (as was widely reported when the couple announced they were stepping down), Harry denied this, saying he has "too much respect for her". Charles did not fare so well, with the Duke stating that he felt let down by his father, and that "there's a lot of hurt that has happened", with the Prince not even taking his calls at times. Diana was alluded to again here, as Harry noted that his father has "been through something similar" to him - it is evident that Charles has not learnt from his past shortcomings.
Racism
In what was the most shocking revelation of all, the couple accused an unnamed member of the Royal Family of racism, describing "concerns and conversations about how dark his [Archie's] skin might be when he’s born". Though Harry strongly declined to report the full conversation or the participants, Oprah has since confirmed that it was neither the Queen nor the Duke of Edinburgh - though I am speculating here, in my mind that leaves only one candidate: Charles. The couple later cited racism in the British Press towards Meghan as one of their central reasons for leaving, of course.
The Duke of Cambridge
Harry also spoke briefly about his much-reported rift with his brother William, The Duke of Cambridge. Though he did not criticise his brother directly, he described the relationship with him as, "Space at the moment. And time heals all things, hopefully.", whilst reiterating the bond they still have as siblings.
The Firm
Overall, both Meghan and Harry criticised the institution as a whole, with the couple describing how Harry's security and finances had been cut off, and that they have been living on the money Diana left. They described the lack of understanding and flexibility within the institution, painting it as backward and archaic, and suggested that they, along with other members of the family, were "trapped within the system".
They said they proposed a compromise of splitting their time between Canada and the UK, in order to escape the British tabloids, and working as non-senior members of the family, but were denied this option, and essentially ostracised from the Family, with Harry stripped of his titles and honorary positions.
In my view, they tried to take an inch, and the Firm wouldn't budge - it never does. As Harry himself said about the mentality of the Family:
"'This is just how it is. This is how it’s meant to be. You can’t change it. We’ve all been through it.’"
As the fallout from the interview continues to dominate headlines, pressure is mounting on the Family to respond to the interview, which is sure to be causing havoc in their ranks at the moment. I wouldn't hold my breath though, the Royals are notoriously press-averse - they won't make a statement unless they feel they absolutely must, and even then it is likely to be brief, vague, and will deflect as much as possible.
UPDATE: The Palace has released a statement, following pressure from the media, which states that ”the issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning” and that they will be “addressed by the family privately” - i.e. Charles will get a telling off from Mummy, and that’s the end of it. I wouldn’t expect anything further from the Firm for a while now.