The Queen weighs in on Meghan and Harry’s Oprah interview

Queen Elizabeth II, better known as The Queen, no first or last names required, is weighing in on the incendiary interview Prince Harry and Meghan Markle gave to Oprah on Sunday night. In a statement from the palace, she conveyed her thoughts about the issues and accusations raised during the long conversation and expressed dismay on behalf of the entire royal family.

If you didn’t see the interview (and we’re guessing you did, since the sit down drew more viewers than the Golden Globes and the Emmys combined), Meghan and Harry jointly revealed that their reasons for leaving the UK for California included Markle’s deteriorating mental health under the abuse she was receiving from the British press, racism within the palace walls (including an absolutely vile conversation about the potential skin colour of the couple’s children), and a lack of support and protection from the family and institution when it came to all of the above.

Today’s statement from the Queen, coming out of Buckingham Palace, is one part sympathy, one part vague statement of concern, and one part defensive maneuver. 

In his conversation with Oprah, Harry professed warm feelings for, and closeness with, his grandmother, the Queen. The official Buckingham Palace statement reflects little of that though, and it’s kind of unsurprising. One thing the royals have done well is to keep public expectations low when it comes to transparency and genuine engagement or emotion. And it’s difficult to expect a critical examination of any serious issue from an institution harbouring Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged pal Prince Andrew.

While the tidal wave of revelations that came out during the Oprah interview seemed to have the strength to wash away the entire institution of the British monarchy, race and racism, as the Queen indicated, was indeed the most “concerning.” Which is why dealing with them privately leaves much to be desired. The public accusations levelled at the Firm by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex necessitate public redress in order for them to have any impact at all — because this isn’t about one woman’s suffering, it’s about yet another institution where racism is an accepted norm.

Before you go: Harry and Meghan detail their royal struggles in Oprah interview

[video_embed id='2155888']Before you go: Harry and Meghan detail their royal struggles in Oprah interview[/video_embed]