Sit tight, she’s on...

[HeathIns]

Oprah is annoying me already.

I also think she watched Diana's interview. I've never seen her wear eye make up like that before.

It did appear that the two stories about someone talking to Harry about the skin colour of potential/actually on the way children happened at different times depending who was describing it. Which doesn’t mean I don’t believe it happened at all.

The laughing at the end was presumably to something Oprah said off mike, Harry was still in the moment (realising everything he had just shared) and didn’t react.

I found the way they were told from the beginning that Meghan and then Archie wouldn’t be provided for/protected was very odd, as she was marrying the son of the next king.

Her description of wanting to go somewhere to get help, not wanting to be left home alone in case she hurt herself, that was unexpected, sounded serious and I believe her. She could have mentioned MH problems without going that far but that’s how she described it. That to me makes her comments in Africa more understandable.

Anyway, I expect the RF to ignore it all and hope it goes away. Hopefully down the track there can be some warmth between them all again.

What's it got to do with bloody Hilary Clinton? (Watching News at 10)

What was the point of that interview, if they're now "happy and thriving".

Purely to drum up publicity and get more Hollywood clout seems to be the obvious answer.

It certainly wasn't to heal wounds within the family!

I also think they were very canny re libel and slander. They kept lobbing grenades but not attributing so it cannot be probed or corroborated so could be BS.

I think it is possible to believe that the Royal Family are racist snobs and the British tabloid press racist bullies, while also thinking Meghan is a complete drama queen. This is a clash of cultures.

I think this is very possible

@starfro ah I see you're another who wishes those pesky little things called racism and mental health issues should be swept under the carpet.

@SocialistSloth

Prince Charles doesn't have a leg to stand on when it comes to being disappointed in his son. Before Diana's interview in 1995, which is brought up a lot, there was his interview in 1994 where he, er what' the term that keeps being repeated? Washed his dirty linen in public.

It's not the best way to do things, I agree, however, sometimes people can feel that maybe they should just stand up, say their piece rather than continuously having lies told about them and then let it all go.

I think people forget that while Diana became "the princess of our hearts" in the aftermath of her death, in the years running up to it she was pilloried by the press. I'm guessing that Harry saw where it was going and got out before it got worse.

Yes it is clear that Harry is very hurt by his Father's behaviour now (and probably then too). I remember Charles 1994 interview and the press about the Tampax tapes - bleurgh!!

Some of the comments on here make it very easy to see what they have been up against and why they made the decisions they did. I'm glad Harry can be free and happy now. He has had a pretty rough ride. Losing his mother, a controlled life, no help when requested for his wife after the abuse she has suffered affected her mental health. Having to decide to step back and having your desire for freedom and safety for your wife and family then fracture your relationship with your brother and father. I wouldnt with any of that on my worst enemy and think life as a royal sounds utterly miserable even without the tabloid barrage of abuse and the lack of help for mental health issues.

I thought it was interesting and have a lot of sympathy for them. For me the really salient points were:
The institution (be that family or staff) have the ability to influence, feed and kill stories in the press, and chose not to use this ability to protect Meghan
The security is linked to title, and position within the family, rather than whether the security is necessary in the face of a threat. Security at that level is costly enough to swallow even a substantial fortune. So to what extent is security being used as leverage to keep RF members in line? Not Harry's fault he was born a prince - i would expect him to have security provided as long as there is a risk because the risk is a result of his position not his actions.
There is a MASSIVE cultural divide that the RF need to get to grips with if royals continues ie to marry non-royals. I can well believe that both Harry and Meghan felt like they knew what to expect - Harry because he has no way of knowing what is common knowledge and what is insider knowledge, and Meghan because, well - you don't know what you don't know. Kate has had all this training because she's going to be queen - but also she's been around this since she was a young adult. In a sense she's spent her whole adult life immersed in the RF. Meghan has had none of that, obviously she'd need more help.
I think the RF senior staff have a lot to answer for here...

@Danja2010

Hate to disappoint you but the UK is very racist. Do you know anyone you could ask here that is from an ethnic background ? They would not disagree. I am glad they left for a happier place. I am glad that Meghan has the courage to speak up and that Harry supports her!

A colleague was born into the ''Deep South'' {Her term} in USA and has settled in UK very happily. USA is a lot worse.

UK is very ethnically diverse, especially in Cities. Only when I go to very rural areas is the mainly White population really noticeable.

Hate to disappoint you but the UK is very racist. Do you know anyone you could ask here that is from an ethnic background ? They would not disagree.

Yes, me and sorry but I do disagree. I don't think the UK could ever be described as 'very racist' though I won't deny that a rotten little minority have all kinds of rotten little views that I don't care about.

@teentipans

I think it is possible to believe that the Royal Family are racist snobs and the British tabloid press racist bullies, while also thinking Meghan is a complete drama queen. This is a clash of cultures.

I think this is very possible

Entirely possible. We seem to always look for hero/villian narratives - she referenced this herself indeed. But she ain't no hero.

@AIMD

I do believe what they’re saying but I don’t think the interview was a good idea. I don’t understand what they wanted to achieve by it?

Get money for security.

Overall, Megs came across better than expected but she seems very hurt, which you can hear in her voice at different points throughout the interview. Prince Harry seems like a nice enough chap but very out of touch.

The whole thing doesn't paint the RF in a good light at all, very much like the Netflix series The Crown.

It will be interesting to see what happens next.

The more publicity they get the high their charges for whatever it is that they do - their appearances, speeches etc. Staying in the public eye very prominently is good for business - can't deny it.

@SylviaHortensis

What's it got to do with bloody Hilary Clinton? (Watching News at 10)

Thought I was the only person thinking this !

Did anyone else catch the laughing and hand over mouth at the very end? Wow!

They are a beautiful family, sad to see how emotional Harry is when talking about this father, and how he feels really let down by him. The RF should have spoke out against the abuse Meg was suffering and corrected the false narratives.

Coronalshit yes, I did. It was disgraceful.

@VanillaIce

I think she’s lying and/or exaggerating a lot of this for a gullible American audience. I do not believe she didn’t know much about the royal family. That is absolute bull. Oprah knows it too.

This might come as a shock to you, but Americans genuinely don't know much about England's Royal family. They really don't. Most of them don't know anything at all about it.

First time I’ve done a NRTFT but am annoyed at the start of watching this rubbish

MM to Harry hello lovely man I’m going to marry when do I meet your mum and dad. I haven't done any research or googled you by the way

Harry 'Here's my dad Charlies. My mum Princess Diana, Queen of hearts etc etc we reckon my Gran killed her off (don’t believe this by the way) and here’s a picture of the worst day of my life walking behind her coffin' - bollocks

Chocolatesanta there seemed to be some petty gripes and point scoring in amongst some massive swipes.

It was a bit 'mean girl' yes she's lovely and alluring and intelligent and articulate....

But if you make an allegation so enormous with such massive potential for repercussions as the race one, which is breathtaking, it needs to be properly made.

It's very manipulative to say it was said to Harry, repeated back to Meghan but then not say who it originated from. It then vilifies the entire royal family, masterfully scything down the lot of them in the pretence of saving the face of the person who actually allegedly made the remark. A cowardly blow.

The dress thing and who made who cry is nonsense. Imagine the scene - bridezilla and brand new mum, spat over protocol and tights and what a princess of the realm should or shouldn't wear. Kate knows the rules - Meghan wants what she wants. Friction, tears all round. Harry probs asked Kate to make it better and she probably did. Who knows what happened. Who knows that Kate didn't go home and cry.

And that's the real issue here. There lots of guff about 'her truth' which is some fancy way of saying 'her version of events'

It's all a bit tragic and embarrassing for all involved.

I don’t think that interview was a good idea, it was really gossipy in parts, very self indulgent in others . And to talk so personally and publicly about your family like this, in such a negative manner, that’s a fatal blow.

I think there was a key vein of truth running through it, and critical points raised, although some nuances will be their interpretation of it, their truth, their perception and of course rhe royal family will have a different perception.

Ultimately though the royal family is more than an institution. This is still Harry’s father, brother, grandfather, grandmother. That’s who they were publicly attacking in front of the world. And it was clearly aimed at Charles and William specifically and everyone else, the rest of his family, was simply collateral damage.

For a couple who wanted to avoid media intrusion, to wish a private life, the nuclear level of escalation here is hard to comprehend.