Meghan Markle’s friend claims royals had ‘several conversations’ over Archie’s skin colour

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s biographer has claimed it was “not just one person” in the royal family who made remarks about their son’s skin colour.

Royal biographer Omid Scobie claims “several” conversations were had with the British Royal Family over the skin colour of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s son, Archie.

In an interview with the Foreign Press Association in London on Friday, Scobie alleged the topic was raised more than once before the youngster was born – and members of the family were “unsympathetic” to the couple’s complaints.

“There was one conversation that took place that affected them massively, when it came to someone within the royal family sharing concerns over the colour of Archie’s skin,” Scobie, who has close contacts with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and is the author of the book Finding Freedom about the Sussexes, said.

“To Harry, I can see how it is one conversation; to Meghan who would have been involved in the follow-up conversations I can see, because there were other people aware of this conversation within the family and within the institution, that did also speak about it, some not so sympathetically.

“So you then are in a position where you start to feel, well it’s not just this one person, it’s others as well and it becomes a much bigger issue.”

Meghan holds her son Archie in Cape Town on September 25, 2019. Picture: Henk Kruger/ AFP.

Meghan and Harry, the Duchess and Duke of Sussex, recently welcomed their second child, daughter Lilibet. Picture: Michele Spatari / AFP.

Meghan’s claim that a senior royal made a racist comment about Archie before his birth was the most damaging revelation in her interview with Oprah, which aired in March.

She said the unnamed royal asked about the colour of the baby’s skin and “what that would mean or look like”.

Meanwhile, the couple is under fire for signing a $A33 million Spotify podcast deal, broadcasting just 35 minutes of content, and then taking paternity leave.

Streaming giant bosses were “looking forward to a full-scale launch of shows” this year – but Harry and Meghan have so far failed to follow up on their Christmas 2020 special, according to reports.

And now, having spent seven months without publishing new Spotify content, the pair has decided to take several months off following the birth of their daughter, Lilibet, in Montecito, California, on June 4.

Royal author Phil Dampier said: “We’re being told they’re having up to five months off and people who are paying them a lot of money will expect something in return.

“They seem to be using up a lot of ammunition very early and putting a lot of stuff out there in terms of deals and agreements with lots of firms.

“The question might be asked whether they have too much on their plate.”

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex said in a joint statement after signing the deal with Spotify last year: “What we love about podcasting is that it reminds all of us to take a moment and to really listen, to connect to one another without distraction.

“With the challenges of 2020, there has never been a more important time to do so, because when we hear each other, and hear each other’s stories, we are reminded of how interconnected we all are.”

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, at Windsor Castle in Windsor on October 25, 2019. Picture: Jeremy Selwyn / AFP.

Earlier, Meghan thanked fans for their support after her new children’s book became a bestseller one week after its release.

The Bench, which tells the story of the eternal bond between a father and son through the eyes of a mother, is number one on The New York Times Bestseller list for children’s picture books – but failed to hit the UK Official Top 50 chart after selling just 3,212 copies in its first week.

In a statement on the Archewell website, the Duchess of Sussex, 39, said: “While this poem began as a love letter to my husband and son, I’m encouraged to see that its universal themes of love, representation and inclusivity are resonating with communities everywhere.

“In many ways, pursuing a more compassionate and equitable world begins with these core values.

“Equally, to depict another side of masculinity — one grounded in connection, emotion, and softness — is to model a world that so many would like to see for their sons and daughters alike.

“Thank you for supporting me in this special project.”

Children's book The Bench' by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, which is inspired by her husband Harry and her son Archie, was released on June 8, 2021. Picture: Tolga Akmen / AFP.

The book was released on June 8 – four days after the birth of Meghan and Harry’s second child, Lilibet Diana, in Santa Barbara, California.

And while the couple have yet to share any photos of Lilibet publicly, it has also been claimed that Meghan and Prince Harry shared the first photo of baby Lilibet on the royal family’s private WhatsApp group.

A page from Meghan’s book shows the Duchess cradling her newborn daughter as she stands in a vegetable patch, while Harry is seen feeding chickens with their two-year-old son.

Meghan previously said The Bench was based on a poem she had written for husband Prince Harry for Father’s Day.

She dedicated it to him and son Archie, calling them: “The man and boy who make my heart go pump-pump”.

Their dogs, Pula and Guy, are also featured in the book.

The former Suits actor announced her venture into writing last month.

While it’s the first time she has released a book, she previously wrote for her lifestyle blog, The Tig, before she started dating Harry in 2016.

She also penned a powerful piece for The New York Times after she suffered a miscarriage last year.