The Limited Times

Now you can see non-English news...

The British royal family, in crisis after Harry and Meghan interview

2021-03-09T04:04:56.145Z


Harry and Meghan's interview could be a point of no return in the British crown.  Meghan and Harry's Oprah Interview Highlights 6:06 (CNN) - The British royal family faces a singular crisis after Prince Harry and Meghan, the Dukes of Sussex, shook the institution of the crown with a series of devastating accusations in their long-awaited interview with Oprah Winfrey. Over the course of the two-hour special, Meghan and Harry - who despite his severance from royal duties is sti


Meghan and Harry's Oprah Interview Highlights 6:06

(CNN) -

The British royal family faces a singular crisis after Prince Harry and Meghan, the Dukes of Sussex, shook the institution of the crown with a series of devastating accusations in their long-awaited interview with Oprah Winfrey.

Over the course of the two-hour special, Meghan and Harry - who despite his severance from royal duties is still five relatives from the throne - painted a picture of a family so stubbornly rooted in its customs that it left behind a young woman Biracial couple alone to defend themselves against racist abuse and their own problematic mental health, forcing them to be silent and ultimately leaving them with no choice but to flee the clutches of the palace.

Meghan said she was so isolated and alone while working as a royal that she thought about committing suicide and told Winfrey that she "just didn't want to be alive anymore."

The couple fiercely criticized the way the institution treated them, and Meghan revealed a shocking accusation of racism by a clan member that threatens to put her reputation in crisis.

Meanwhile, Harry admitted that his relationships with his father and heir to the throne, Prince Charles, and his brother, Prince William, have come under great strain in recent years, and suggested that the institution may have planted stories. in the media that showed him and Meghan in a negative light.

  • Harry and Meghan interview: 11 things we learned from the explosive conversation with Oprah Winfrey

'I just didn't want to be alive anymore,' Meghan said

The palace faced criticism on multiple fronts at dawn in London on Monday.

The interview had been seen relentlessly featured in the media for the past few days, drawing comparisons to a royal reveal given by Harry's mother, Princess Diana, in 1995, which shed light on the breakdown of her marriage to Charles. .

advertising

But the revelations on Sunday's show may have dwarfed even those in magnitude, as Harry and Meghan's confessional raised issue after issue for palace staff and high-level royalty.

1 of 32

|

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, during their interview with Oprah Winfrey, which aired in the United States on Sunday, March 7.

This was their first media appearance since they left Britain last year.

(Credit: Harpo Productions / Joe Pugliese)

2 of 32

|

Harry and Meghan shared this image in February 2021 to announce that they are expecting their second child, who will be a girl, the couple said.

(Credit: Misan Harriman)

3 of 32

|

Meghan celebrates her son Archie's first birthday with a reading of the children's book "Duck! Rabbit!"

in May 2020. In a video posted online –– and recorded by her husband–– Meghan read the popular book to Archie and encouraged fans to donate to a number of causes designed to help young people.

(Credit: The Duke of Sussex / @ SaveChildrenUK)

4 of 32

|

Harry and Meghan attend the annual Commonwealth Day service at London's Westminster Abbey in March 2020. This event marked the Dukes of Sussex's latest engagement as high-ranking members of the royal family.

(Credit: Frank Augstein / AP)

5 of 32

|

Harry and Meghan attend the Endeavor Fund Awards in London in March 2020. (Credit: Samir Hussein / WireImage / Getty Images)

6 of 32

|

Meghan and Harry visit the Canada House in London in January 2020. The dukes announced the next day that they would be leaving their roles as leading members of the British royal family.

(Credit: Daniel Leal-Olivas / Pool Photo via AP)

7 of 32

|

Meghan and Harry visit a community center in Windsor, Britain, in November 2019 (Credit: Sgt Paul Randall / MoD / PA Wire / Getty Images)

8 of 32

|

The couple attend the annual Festival of Remembrance in November 2019. (Credit: Chris Jackson / Pool / AFP / Getty Images)

9 of 32

|

Harry and Meghan attend a reception prior to the WellChild Awards ceremony in October 2019 (Credit: Toby Melville / WPA Pool / Getty Images)

10 of 32

|

Meghan hangs out with multiple people during a royal tour in South Africa in 2019 (Credit: Karwai Tang / WireImage / Getty Images)

11 of 32

|

Archbishop Desmond Tutu kisses Archie, Meghan and Harry's son in September 2019 (Credit: Toby Melville / Pool / Getty Images)

12 of 32

|

Harry and Meghan dance during their royal tour of South Africa in September 2019 (Credit: Robin Nunn / Pool / Samir Hussein / WireImage / Getty Images)

13 of 32

|

Meghan carries Archie during the South African tour.

(Credit: Toby Melville / Pool / Getty Images)

14 of 32

|

Harry and Meghan greet singer Beyoncé and her husband, rapper Jay-Z, as they attend the European premiere of the film "The Lion King" in July 2019. (Credit: Niklas Halle'n / AFP / Getty Images)

15 of 32

|

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone hands the couple a jersey for Archie ahead of a Major League baseball game in London in June 2019 (Credit: Alex Trautwig / MLB via Getty Images)

16 of 32

|

Queen Elizabeth II looks at her new great-grandson, Archie, in May 2019. Prince Philip is on the far left.

Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland, is next to her on the right.

(Credit: Chris Allerton / SussexRoyal via Getty Images)

17 of 32

|

Meghan and Harry present their newborn son at Windsor Castle in May 2019 (Credit: Dominic Lipinski / Pool via AP)

18 of 32

|

Meghan and Harry walk alongside tapestries during a visit to Rabat, Morocco, in February 2019. (Facundo Arrizabalaga / Getty Images)

19 of 32

|

Meghan and Harry attend a church service on Christmas Day in December 2018. Joining them, from left to right, are Prince Charles, Prince William and William's wife, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.

Harry and William are the two children of Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana.

(Credit: Samir Hussein / WireImage via Getty Images)

20 of 32

|

Meghan and Harry cheer on sailors during the Invictus Games in Australia in October 2018 (Credit: Chris Jackson / Getty Images)

21 of 32

|

The couple speak with members of OneWave, a mental health and wellness awareness group, in Sydney in October 2018. (Credit: Chris Jackson / Getty Images)

22 of 32

|

Meghan and Harry pose with the cast and crew of the musical "Hamilton" after a performance in London in August 2018. Harry starred in a moment to remember after trying to sing at the end of the show.

The event sought to raise funds for his HIV charity, Sentebale.

(DAN CHARITY / AFP / Getty Images).

23 of 32

|

Members of the royal family watch an aircraft show during an event in July 2018, which marked the Royal Air Force's centenary.

From left to right are Prince Charles;

Prince Andrew;

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall;

Queen Elizabeth II;

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex;

prince harry;

Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.

(Credit: Anwar Hussein / WireImage / Getty Images)

24 of 32

|

Meghan and Harry attend the Royal Ascot horse races in June 2018 (Credit: DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS / AFP / Getty Images)

25 of 32

|

The couple pose with family members after tying the knot in May 2018 (Credit: Alexi Lubomirski / AP)

26 of 32

|

Right after getting married, Harry and Meghan greet each other during their carriage tour in Windsor, England.

(Credit: Aaron Chown / WPA Pool / Getty Images)

27 of 32

|

Harry and Meghan join Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, during a Royal Foundation forum in February 2018 (Credit: CHRIS JACKSON / AFP / Getty Images)

28 of 32

|

The couple watch a dance class during a visit to Cardiff, Wales, in January 2018 (Credit: Geoff Pugh / WPA Pool / Getty Images)

29 of 32

|

Meghan showed her engagement ring to journalists during a photo shoot in November 2017. The ring, designed by Harry, featured a large Botswana diamond and two smaller outer diamonds from the personal collection of Harry's late mother, Princess Diana. .

(Credit: Daniel Leal-Olivas / AFP / Getty Images)

30 of 32

|

This engagement photo was posted by Kensington Palace.

(Credit: Alexi Lubomirski / AP)

31 of 32

|

Meghan and Harry made their first public appearance as a couple at the Invictus Games in Toronto in September 2017. The couple met through mutual friends in July 2016 in London.

(Credit: Tim Rooke / Shutterstock)

32 of 32

|

Harry and Meghan hug at a polo match in May 2017 (Credit: Rupert Hartley / Shutterstock)

Perhaps the most notorious problem was Meghan's accusation that an anonymous relative had asked her about Archie's skin color and "what would that mean or what would that look like?"

He said those discussions were relayed to him by Harry.

Harry declined to name the family member, but said he was "a little surprised" by the conversation.

Winfrey said on CBS Monday morning that "it was not her grandmother or her grandfather who were part of those conversations."

In Britain, alternative education secretary Kate Green said Buckingham Palace should launch an investigation.

Palace officials are also struggling to respond to the dukes' claims that the institution ignored their pleas for help with their mental well-being and safety.

Fighting back tears at one point, Meghan said that her suicidal thoughts were incredibly difficult to bear and that she was reluctant to share them with her husband.

"But I knew if she didn't say it, she would, and she just didn't want to be alive anymore," she said.

Harry, whose mother Diana died when he was a child, said he was "terrified" by his wife's admission.

The prince, who ranks sixth in line to the throne, said there is a culture of silent suffering in the royal family.

But Meghan's race and the abuse she suffered made the situation even more difficult for the couple, and her perceived lack of support ultimately led, above all other factors, to her dramatic decision to resign as royalty in January. 2020.

  • Meghan and Harry interview hurts British royalty, says Mari Rodríguez Ichaso

They described the most difficult moments in emotional detail: Meghan revealed her thoughts to Harry hours before they went to an event;

the prince came home from work every day to find his wife crying while nursing her newborn, saying that "lack of support and lack of understanding" were the reasons why they decided to walk away.

Meghan said the situation was compounded by the often racist and "old-fashioned colonial" undertones that repeatedly appeared in coverage of the couple in Britain's notoriously scathing tabloids.

Both described a toxic mix of media intrusion, social media bitterness, and isolation from a support structure.

Harry added that he pressed the issue with the royal family.

He told Winfrey that he believed there were many opportunities for the palace to "show some public support" in the face of ongoing racial abuse in the press, "however, no one in my family said anything.

That hurts".

"I'm sorry I believed you when you said I would be protected," Meghan told Winfrey.

CNN has reached out to the royal family for comment.

1 of 20

|

Meghan Markle visits AOL Studios in New York in March 2016. Markle, was an actress known for her role as Rachel Zane on the hit television series "Suits."

Her engagement to Prince Henry was announced in November of that same year.

Desiree Navarro / WireImage / Getty Images

2 of 20

|

Markle attended Immaculate Heart High School, a private Catholic school for girls in Los Angeles.

At the time she was using her first name, Rachel.

Meghan is her middle name.

Contact Press Images

3 of 20

|

Markle attends the Some Kind-a Gorgeous Style and Beauty Lounge event at the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles in August 2010. Charley Gallay / Getty Images

4 of 20

|

Markle was married to film producer Trevor Engelson for two years before divorcing in 2013. Billy Farrell / Patrick McMullan / Getty Images

5 of 20

|

Markle appears on the television series "Suits" with her on-screen father, played by actor Wendell Pierce.

Universal Cable Productions

6 of 20

|

Markle speaks during a United Nations conference on International Women's Day in March 2015. "I am proud to be a woman and a feminist," said Markle, who was appointed as the UN Advocate for Political Leadership and Participation.

INB / Newscom / Ivan Nikolov / WENN.com / Newscom

7 of 20

|

Markle plays Kirsten in the 2015 film "Antisocial."

RST Pictures / JRSM Films

8 of 20

|

Markle hosts the Women in Cable Telecommunications signature luncheon at McCormick Place in Chicago in May 2015. Tasos Katopodis / Getty Images for WICT

9 of 20

|

Markle attends the CFDA / Vogue Fashion Fund Awards in New York in November 2015. Andrew Toth / Getty Images

10 of 20

|

Markle visits Rwanda in January 2016. She went to the African country with World Vision Canada.

Courtesy of Gabor Jurina.

11 of 20

|

Markle poses for a portrait in Toronto in April 2016. George Pimentel / Getty Images Portrait

12 of 20

|

Markle and Crystal Valentine speak during the Glamor's College Women of the Year Awards in April 2016. Nicholas Hunt / Getty Images for Glamor

13 of 20

|

Markle appears on the cover of Vanity Fair in September 2017. In an interview, Markle first spoke publicly about her relationship with Prince Henry.

Peter Lindbergh for Vanity Fair

14 of 20

|

Markle attends the Invictus Games with Prince Harry in September 2017. Chris Jackson / Getty Images for the Invictus Games Foundation

15 of 20

|

Markle and Prince Harry pose for a photo at Kensington Palace following their engagement announcement on November 27, 2017. DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS / AFP / Getty Images

16 of 20

|

Harry and Meghan join Prince William and Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, during a Royal Foundation Forum in February 2018. CHRIS JACKSON / AFP / Getty Images

17 of 20

|

Just after the wedding, the newlyweds greet during their carriage procession in Windsor, England.

Aaron Chown / WPA Pool / Getty Images

18 of 20

|

The couple pose with members of the royal family after marrying in May 2018. Alexi Lubomirski / AP

19 of 20

|

Meghan and Harry present their newborn son at Windsor Castle in May 2019. Dominic Lipinski / Pool via AP

20 of 20

|

Meghan holds her son, Archie, during a tour of South Africa.

Toby Melville / Pool / Getty Images

Harry reveals serious rifts in the family

If there was even the slightest suggestion that Harry and Meghan might one day rejoin the royal family's mission, Sunday's show with Oprah likely extinguished it for good.

The interview exposed the depths of the divide between the couple and the rest of the family, a gulf that would have been unimaginable when they were married in Windsor just three years ago.

They told Winfrey that the family had welcomed Meghan in the beginning, and that when they married, they were committed to their roles.

But things changed quickly.

Harry told Winfrey that his relationship with his father Carlos reached the point where the heir to the throne stopped taking his calls, so angry about the couple's decision to leave as royalty in 2020. “There is a lot to work on. there, ”said Harry.

"I feel really disappointed, because he has experienced something similar, he knows what pain feels like."

What does Harry and Meghan's interview with Oprah leave behind?

2:36

Regarding his brother, William, with whom Harry grew up and whose shared childhood was meticulously followed by the media, the prince hinted that communication is practically non-existent.

"We are on different paths," he said, adding that "the relationship is a space right now" and that "time heals all things, hopefully."

Perhaps the only positive side for the family is that their leader survived the interview relatively unscathed.

Harry and Meghan raved about Queen Elizabeth II, describing her as loving and kind from the start.

"My grandmother and I have a really good relationship, and I understand her and have deep respect for her," said Harry.

Meghan said she has spoken to her frequently over the past year, including the day Prince Philip was admitted to the hospital last month.

Meghan added that despite the ordeal, it was important to differentiate the royal family from "the people who run the institution."

He spoke of rumors of a dispute with Catherine (Kate), Duchess of Cambridge.

Meghan said the reports that she made Kate cry over the flower girl dresses at her wedding were not true and, in fact, it was the Duchess of Sussex who wept.

But "there was no confrontation," Meghan said, describing her sister-in-law as a "good person."

But the obviously tense family dynamic will overshadow upcoming royal engagements.

None of its communications teams have issued statements following the interview.

Meghan and Harry (right) with the Queen, Prince Charles and other royals in 2019. During his interview with Oprah, Harry detailed a breakdown in relationships with several of his relatives.

Britain's reaction to the interview

As the hours passed and the broadcast dust settled Monday, Buckingham Palace remained silent.

But the British media were quick to cover the fallout, with some newspapers running additional early editions overnight to feature the interview on their front pages.

As has happened so many times with the couple, the coverage ranged from measured to hysterical.

The

Daily Mail

ran a headline that read "Kate made me cry" in its 2 am issue, before headlining Meghan's accusation of racism later in the morning.

The tabloid website also featured a prominent headline that read: "HE WANTED TO KILL ME."

The Sun

introduced a new nickname for Meghan amid her break with the royal family: "Megxile," and the

Daily Express

described the broadcast as "a selfish television talk with Oprah."

On Monday afternoon, several journalists used Boris Johnson's press conference on COVID-19 to ask him what he thought about the Oprah interview.

The prime minister refused to intervene, in addition to saying that he had always had "the highest admiration for the queen and the unifying role she plays in our country."

The media's treatment of the royal couple formed an important part of the interview, with both targeting sections of the press.

Harry said the palace is "afraid" of media coverage, meaning they had little freedom while they were part of the family.

"To keep it simple, this is a case where if you, as a family member, are willing to have wine, dinner and give these reporters full access, then you will get better press," said Harry.

"There is a level of fear control that has been around for generations."

The interview was broadcast in Britain at 9pm on Monday - ITV got the rights.

But its main talking points were already being scrutinized in detail by the British and the media long before it was broadcast in the UK.

Charles Anson, the queen's former press secretary, said on Monday that the couple raised "issues that need to be carefully considered" but told the BBC that "there was not a shred of racism" inside the royal house.

But Julie Montagu, Viscountess Hinchingbrooke, told the BBC that the revelations were "astonishing" and that, as an American woman who married the British aristocracy, she could relate to Meghan's descriptions.

"You really don't know until you're in, and I think she made it very clear last night in her interview," he said.

How to get help: In the US, call the National Suicide Prevention Line at 1-800-273-8255.

The International Association for Suicide Prevention and Befrienders Worldwide also provide contact information for crisis centers around the world.

British Royal FamilyHarryMeghan

Source: cnnespanol

All news articles on 2021-03-09

You may like

News/Politics 2024-03-28T07:05:01.696Z

Trends 24h

News/Politics 2024-03-28T06:04:53.137Z

Latest

© Communities 2019 - Privacy

The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.
The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.