Oprah Winfrey surprised Harry and Meghan spoke about racist royal comment

The talk show host said she was taken aback by a number of the revelations in the interview.
Oprah Winfrey
PA Archive
Laura Harding8 March 2021

Oprah Winfrey has said she was “surprised” the Duke and Duchess of Sussex revealed details of an alleged conversation with a member of the royal family who expressed “concern” before he was born about how dark their son Archie’s skin tone might be.

The talk show host also said she was taken aback by Meghan’s disclosures about her mental health, and about Harry’s revelation at feeling “trapped”, during their explosive interview.

Both Harry and Meghan refused to identify who made the alleged racist comment, and Winfrey has said the couple did not confide in her off-camera.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex during their interview with Oprah Winfrey
PA Media

However, the talk show host has said Harry told her it was not the Queen or the Duke of Edinburgh who made the remark.

During the interview Meghan also said she contemplated taking her own life while pregnant.

Discussing the revelations on US breakfast show CBS This Morning, Winfrey was asked what surprised her in the interview.

Winfrey said: “I think the skin tone, the discussions about what colour Archie’s skin tone would be.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex holding their son Archie
PA Wire

“What also surprised me, and that is why I clarified, were you just feeling badly, were you feeling sad or were there suicidal ideation thoughts of harming yourself, that also surprised me.

“It surprised me Harry said he was trapped.”

Asked if she was surprised that the conversation about skin tone happened or that they were revealing it, Winfrey replied: “I was surprised they were telling me about it.

“Even on the tape you can hear me go ‘Whoa, I cannot believe you are saying this right now’.”

Asked how the couple is feeling today, Winfrey said: “I haven’t really spoken to them since the interview because we are in different time zones.

“I got a text from Meghan yesterday saying ‘How is it going?’ because she was putting Archie to bed waiting on the west coast feed and had no idea what was happening on the east coast. I said ‘I don’t either but from what I can tell it’s going well, I know it’s airing.’

“I will probably have a conversation with them later on today.”

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