Team Meghan takes another swipe at Palace

A close friend of the Sussexes has launched a fresh attack on Buckingham Palace amid new drama surrounding Prince Harry’s “unproductive” talks with his family.

A close friend of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s has launched a new attack on Buckingham Palace amid new fallout over the couple’s decision to make public “unproductive” talks with Prince William and Prince Charles.

Omid Scobie, the author of Finding Freedom, an authorised book on the Sussexes, accused the media and royal aides of double standards after it was reported that Buckingham Palace is believed to be unhappy with the couple’s decision to reveal the details of the private talks with Prince William and Prince Charles.

Buckingham Palace is still reeling from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s interview with Oprah Winfrey. Picture: Supplied

Taking to Twitter, Scobie said he was “confused” by criticism of the couple and claimed a “new royal protocol” had been concocted after Buckingham Palace said it would not provide “running commentary on private conversations”.

Buckingham Palace has issued one statement on the Sussexes after last week’s bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview, which said that “some recollections may vary” but the claims raised would be “addressed by the family privately”.

Bit confused here, so just want to get this new royal protocol correct. It’s okay when info is leaked to the papers via a palace source but not when Gayle King shares it on TV? Righty-ho then🙃

— Omid Scobie (@scobie) March 17, 2021

On Tuesday, details emerged of the first private chat between the royal brothers in a year following an extraordinary briefing to American TV anchor – and Oprah’s close friend – Gayle King.

King made the “unproductive” revelations on CBS’ This Morning in the US, saying she had spoken to Prince Harry about private conversations he had had with his brother and father following the Oprah interview but claimed “no one” in the royal family had yet spoken to Meghan.

Gayle King (L) with best friend Oprah Winfrey (R) put in a call to Prince Harry and Meghan to see how they were doing after talks with royal family members. Picture: Supplied

King said “Houston we have a problem” in reference to the famous call from Apollo 13 astronauts about an explosion on their spaceship in 1970 when discussing the matter.

The Californian couple accused the royal family of racism and said that Meghan did not receive any help when she was having suicidal thoughts.

“I’m not trying to break news, but I did actually call them to see how they were feeling and it’s true Harry has talked to his brother and he has talked to his father too,” King said.

“The word I was given was that those conversations were not productive but they are glad that they have at least started a conversation.”

Harry and Meghan will not be silent about their feud with the Royal Family. Picture: CBS

In a concrete sign of the “new era” that their friend Janina Gavankar, 40, revealed last week, Prince Harry, 36, and Meghan, 39, are now giving a running commentary on the feud.

The leak to King came within hours of a frail-looking Prince Philip, 99, leaving a London hospital after a month of treatment for a heart condition.

It adds to complications with Prince Harry’s plan to attend his grandfather’s 100th birthday and the unveiling of a statue in honour of his late mother Princess Diana on July 1.

Prince Harry’s estrangement from the royal family adds complications in light of a frail Prince Philip’s approaching 100th birthday. Picture: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images

The latest shot in the royal war was fired following reports in The Sunday Times in London about a bullying investigation into the way Meghan allegedly treated staff, which she has described as a “smear campaign”.

Buckingham Palace has hired independent lawyers to probe the claims, with their former staffers likely to be called up to provide statements.

Prince Harry and Meghan were unlikely to be asked to give evidence in the bullying investigation.

Ms King revealed that the couple were angry at the story that detailed the process of the investigation.

“And I think what is still upsetting to them is that the palace keeps saying they want to work it out privately,” she said.

Gayle King has revealed that Harry and Meghan are angry at the story that their claims are being investigated. Picture: Angela Weiss / AFP

“But yet they believe these false stories are coming out that are very disparaging against Meghan still – no one in the royal family has talked to Meghan yet …”

The exiled couple were not satisfied with the royals’ response to their claims of racism, based on a comment that an unnamed senior family member asked “how dark” baby Archie’s skin would be, Ms King added.

“I think it’s frustrating that it’s a racial conversation about the Royal Family when all they wanted all along was for the royals to intervene and the press to stop with the unfair, inaccurate false stories, that definitely have a racial slant,” she said.

“Until you can acknowledge that I think it’s going to be hard to move forward but they both want to move forward with this.

“They both want healing in this family, at the end of the day that’s Harry’s family.”

Gayle King says Harry and Meghan want “healing” from their interview. Picture: CBS

And she questioned the timing of the bullying complaint against Meghan, which resurfaced following a report in The Times ahead of the Oprah interview.

“The bullying thing was raised in 2018 and now there’s an ongoing investigation about bullying from Meghan Markle when anyone that’s worked for her will tell you exactly who she is,” Ms King said.

“She’s really a very sweet caring person and as I say, Meghan has documents to back up everything that she said on Oprah’s interview.

“The family has to acknowledge that there are issues, right now no-one is acknowledging Houston we have a problem here.

“They want a conversation, they both want a conversation.”

The Queen had said that the dispute with Prince Harry and Meghan would be settled privately in a 61-word statement released two days after the Oprah “special” had aired.

The Queen (R) has said that she would probe racism allegations raised by Prince Harry and Meghan, which she described as concerning. Picture: AFP

The Queen, 94, also said that she would probe racism allegations raised by Prince Harry and Meghan, which she described as concerning.

However, she added that some recollections may vary.

In Britain, the focus was on Prince Philip, who returned to see the Queen at Windsor Castle after 28 days in hospital.

Prince Charles, 72, during a visit to a mosque in Finsbury Park north London that has become a COVID-19 vaccine centre, said he was “thrilled” that his father was out of hospital and that he had spoken with him several times.

Britain's Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (R) and Britain's Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, visit a temporary COVID-19 vaccination centre at a mosque in East London. Picture: AFP

Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, also revealed that she had the AstraZeneca jab, following a decision by France, Germany and Italy to suspend the use of the jab while an investigation was done into claims that it caused blood clots.

The duchess said that she did not have any side effects.

[e-mail]