Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Oprah Interview

The aftermath of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s interview with Oprah has caused serious controversy, as demonstrated by Piers Morgan’s walk out during Good Morning Britain on March 9. Morgan and Good Morning Britain’s weatherman, Alex Beresford, debated a moment in the interview when Meghan talked about a conversation she heard about the color of her unborn baby’s skin.

Morgan called the interview a “two-hour trash-a-thon of our royal family, of the monarchy, of everything the Queen has worked so hard for,” and criticized Meghan’s statements, claiming they were untrue. He also accused her of dropping “a racially charged bomb at the palace.” Beresford replied Meghan was explaining her lived experience.

Beresford later said Morgan continually trashed Meghan because Morgan did not like her, which is when Morgan walked out of the show while still airing. He did not return.

ITV released a statement regarding this event: “Following discussions with ITV, Piers Morgan has decided now is the time to leave Good Morning Britain. ITV has accepted this decision and has nothing further to add.”

Moran’s co-host at the time, Susanna Reid, has since disappeared from the show, leaving Kate Garraway and Ben Shephard in her absence. Beresford has also disappeared but tweeted a farewell to Morgan on March 11. 

The interview in question hosted Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s experiences throughout the past year. It aired on CBS on Sunday, March 7 and was re-aired on Friday, March 12. It received more than 11 million views in the UK and almost 30 million worldwide.

In the interview with Oprah, Meghan and Harry discussed everything, from “Megxit” to their second child, and intimate details such as Meghan’s struggle with mental health when pregnant with Archie and concerns over Archie’s skin color.

Buckingham Palace released a statement Tuesday night in response to the interview:

“The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan. The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately. Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much-loved family members.”

According to The Guardian, Buckingham Palace received no warning of the contents in the interview.

Main concerns raised in the interview included stories about Meghan’s actions towards Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, her courtship and marriage with Harry, their relationship with the queen, Archie’s lack of a title and security, and several other topics. 

One such topic was Meghan’s understanding of how the Royal Family operated behind closed doors.

“When you say ‘was it what it looked like,’ my understanding and experience from the last four years, ‘it’s nothing like it looks like,’” Meghan said.

She also revealed the lack of security provided from the palace and continued problems with the press damaged her mental health.

“I just didn’t want to be alive anymore and that was a very clear, real, frightening and constant thought,” Meghan said.

She said she went to one of the senior members of the Institution to get help but was told she could not.

Overall, Meghan and Harry both said they left because they felt there was a lack of support and understanding from the royal family.

“My biggest fear is history repeating itself … and what I was seeing was history repeating itself,” Harry said.

According to the Sussex’s website Sussexroyal, Harry and Meghan stepped out of the royal family in January 2020 to become working members of the Royal Family. Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth released a statement on Jan. 18, 2020 saying she supported Harry and Meghan’s venture.

On Feb. 19, 2021, Buckingham Palace released a statement saying Harry and Meghan would cease being working members of The Royal Family and give up all royal responsibilities, military appointments and patronages.

Harry said in the interview the decision to leave entirely cut him off from the royal coffers, but he and Meghan still make money through inheritance and current business ventures.