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The Royal Family Issues a Response to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Oprah Interview

Photo credit: Giphy
Photo credit: Giphy

From Town & Country

Two days after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's interview with Oprah premiered in the U.S. and one day after it subsequently aired in the UK, the British royal family is finally responding to the broadcast. This afternoon, Buckingham Palace issued a statement on behalf of the Queen, which reads in full:

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 Times, a statement was prepared and set to be issued earlier this week, but the Queen would not sign off on it.

"Last night the Queen refused to sign off a prepared statement that officials had hoped would de-escalate tensions by highlighting the family’s love and concern for the couple," reports journalist Valentine Low. "She was believed to want more time to consider her response." It's unclear how today's statement differs, if at all, from the one prepared previously.

Notably, the message from Buckingham Palace only vaguely references "the issues raised" during Harry and Meghan's conversation with Oprah, and does not directly respond to the most shocking claims made by the Sussexes in their interview, including that the royals did not get Meghan the help she needed when she was struggling with her mental health, and that a member of the family made comments regarding Archie's skin tone before he was born.

While the Palace says the concerns raised "are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately," some British politicians have called for the a more formal investigation into the allegations of racism.

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