Harry and Meghan nearly exposed royal who made racist remarks
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were on the brink of exposing the royal they claim made racist remarks before their son Archie’s birth.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were on the brink of exposing the royal they claim made racist remarks before their son Archie’s birth – before deeming the detail too “damaging”.
In an updated edition of the biography Finding Freedom seen by Page Six, authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand claim that the couple considered “sharing this detail” in their sensational TV interview with Oprah Winfrey.
Meghan, however, shut the idea down, allegedly telling Winfrey: “I think it would be very damaging to them.”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex made the claims that the unnamed royal asked “how dark” their unborn child would be. Meghan made the initial revelation, with Winfrey following up by asking Harry if he would name the royal.
“That conversation I’m never going to share, but at the time, it was awkward; I was a bit shocked,” Harry replied.
He did say, though, that the royal was not Queen Elizabeth or Prince Philip.
Scobie and Durand said the unaddressed race allegations have threatened the royal family’s reputation around the globe, with a Buckingham Palace staffer telling them: “There is a feeling that if it’s ignored it will go away, but surely by now they should have learned that never happens?”
Meghan is said to have found the interview – in which she claimed to have been left suicidal at life behind palace walls – “cathartic” and “liberating”. The Queen did not watch it, the book states.
The updated edition is due to be published next week and also alleges that members of the royal family were “quietly pleased” that the Duchess of Sussex missed Prince Philip’s funeral in April because they feared she would “create a spectacle” if she turned up.
While Harry and brother Prince William have been in regular contact, Harry and his father, Prince Charles, were only on “light speaking terms” at Prince Philip’s funeral, the book claims.
It adds that although emotions within the royal family are still “raw” over the Oprah interview, a source close to the couple allegedly said, “It will force people to talk in order for the healing to begin,” although the source admitted, “It will take time to get past the hurt.”
The source added: “There has to be some acknowledgment of understanding about what the Sussexes went through in order for there to be progress.”
However, another royal family source said: “Where we are today versus where we were six months ago, versus where we were 12 months ago … there is actually progress. There are efforts on all sides.”
Speaking after Harry’s visit to the UK for the funeral, a friend of his said: “While there’s so much work to be done, this visit has broken the ice … pushed a closed door slightly ajar.”
At least two further conversations took place between the brothers during Harry’s eight-day trip, according to sources.
This has made for easier communication between the pair as they continue to plan another tribute to their mother, Princess Diana.
“Both brothers are deeply devoted to carrying on their mother’s legacy and no amount of hurt feelings would ever get in the way of that,” said Harry’s friend. “It is an absolute priority and even amidst this other stuff, they simply wouldn’t proceed without one another together.”
Harry also tried to be there for his father, Prince Charles, at the funeral, as a source said: “Though there were many unresolved issues, Harry wanted nothing more than to make sure Prince Charles felt supported in his time of need. However brief their conversations, they were steps forward in a necessary healing process for the pair.”
About the Sussexes’ move to California, the book says they have never once regretted it.
This article originally appeared on the New York Post and was reproduced with permission