UK media reacts to Meghan and Harry’s bombshell interview with Oprah

Newspapers in the UK have released special early morning editions covering the revelations from the much anticipated interview.

As Harry and Meghan’s interview aired, UK press scrambled to put out early morning newspapers on the explosive claims with the coverage describing the tell-all program as a “bombshell” and “interview sensation”.

A special late edition of the Daily Mirror ran with the extraordinary claim from Meghan about an unnamed member of the royal family’s concerns about the colour of Archie’s skin. It lead with a headline quote from Meghan: “They asked how dark Archie’s skin would be.’

NEW: Special late edition of the Daily Mirror with the most extraordinary claim by Meghan - that Harry was told by a member of the royal family that there were concerns over the colour of Archie's skin #OprahHarryMeghan Full story ➡️ https://t.co/0RdvLUttiKpic.twitter.com/XxVGfmfXuj

— Russell Myers (@rjmyers) March 8, 2021

It also used its front page to splash with claims that Kate made Meghan cry and that the couple are having a baby girl.

While Meghan and Harry wouldn’t name the royal family member who had concerns about the colour of their son’s skin, associate editor of the UK’s Daily Telegraph Gordon Raynor claimed the monarchy could have a case for libel against the couple.

“Unless Harry & Meghan name the “racist” royal, the other members of the Royal family would have a clear-cut libel case against them as they have put them all under suspicion,” he claimed in a tweet.

The Daily Mail ran a special 3am edition of its UK newspaper and also led with the same subject, with a headline ‘How dark will baby’s skin be?’, while listing six revelations from the interview.

The UK Daily Mail’s 3am edition. Picture: Supplied

Harry and Meghan didn’t hold back in the interview. Picture: Joe Pugliese / Harpo Productions / AFP

RELATED:Oprah left speechless by Meghan revelation

Its front page breaks down many of the shocking claims made by the couple, including that the pressure of being a part of the royal family and the lack of support made Meghan not want to live anymore, palace officials ‘lied to protect other royals’, Charles stopped taking Harry’s calls and the pair married in secret three days before their public ceremony.

As the UK woke up to Meghan and Harry’s interview being aired, BBC royal correspondent Jonny Dymond said one specific part signalled a “worst case scenario” for the palace.

That part, to nobody’s surprise, is regarding conversations with Harry about the colour of Archie’s skin.

“The allegation there were discussions in the palace about how dark Meghan’s first baby might be is a devastating one,” he said.

“This is heading into ‘worst-case scenario’ territory for the palace.”

Others were quick to point out the racism row wasn’t just confined to the royals.

“What matters about the Harry and Meghan interview is not the gossip but what it says about our country,” TV pundit Matthew Standlin wrote on twitter.

“There’s still so much progress to be made on race, gender equality and mental health in Britain.”

Footage was shown of Archie with his mum. Picture: Screengrab

BBC presenter Nick Robinson said people shouldn’t be so quick to dismiss what was happening as a “trivial royal soap opera”.

“Some dismiss it as a trivial Royal soap opera unworthy of the attention on serious news programmes. Yet Meghan & Harry have given young & diverse Britain all they need to see the Royal Family (tho’ not the Queen) as at best old fashioned & at worst bigoted. That really matters,” he tweeted.

British actor David Schnieder was one of many calling for the end of the monarchy, tweeting it wasn’t fit for purpose

Abolishing the monarchy would liberate the royal family to do & be who they want as much as it would free this country from outdated reverence and a society structured as if it’s going to party like it’s 1599.

Hard to watch the same thing happening to Meghan as happened to Diana

— David Schneider (@davidschneider) March 8, 2021

NYT Metro reporter Liam Stack analysed how Harry and Meghan made a point of not just praising the queen in the interview, but telling warm anecdotes about their relationship. Their comments on Charles, William & Kate were deeply pained, he noted.

It will be interesting to see how the palace reacts to the Oprah interview. Harry and Meghan declined to name names — ex: what family member expressed concern over Archie’s skin color?

Will the possibility of the names might someday be named temper the palace’s response?

— Liam Stack (@liamstack) March 8, 2021

Some Brits were furious that the secret wedding still meant a hefty price tag for the public purse.

“Harry and Meghan apparently got married in a ‘secret’ wedding 3 days before the £37 million pound Royal wedding?” one man wrote. “What would be the point of that? Then why go ahead with the pomp and circumstance wedding, complete with horse drawn carriage?”

Controversial UK TV personality Piers Morgan, who has previously launched on air tirades against Harry and Meghan, was quick to hit out at the Oprah interview describing it as “disgraceful” and “shameful”.

“This interview is an absolutely disgraceful betrayal of the Queen and the Royal Family,” he tweeted. “I expect all this vile destructive self-serving nonsense from Meghan Markle — but for Harry to let her take down his family and the Monarchy like this is shameful.”

The co-presenter of the British breakfast program Good Morning Britain went on to say he “wouldn’t believe Meghan Markle if she gave me a weather report”.

He continued his attack accusing Harry of wanting America and the rest of the world “to hate his own family, hate the Monarchy and hate his country.”

“I suggest everyone waits for the victims of his wife’s rampage to have their say on her outlandish claims before they do so,” he wrote.

He promised an “unmissable” breakfast show and said they would need a longer show, while taking one last jab at the interview calling it “contemptible” and asking if Oscar nominations were still open.

Let’s be clear: Prince Harry and his wife just spent two hours trashing everything the Queen stands for & has worked so hard to maintain, whilst pretending to support her.
And they did it while her 99yr-old husband Philip is seriously ill in hospital.
It’s contemptible. pic.twitter.com/W8dBoNI7d8

— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 8, 2021

On the program, Mr Morgan accused Meghan of calling the Queen a racist.

“This whole thing that she says about how the only reason Archie isn’t allowed to be a prince has got nothing to do with royal protocol but all to do with his skin colour and it will be the Queen that signs that title,” he said. “That is calling the Queen a racist.”

But many Brits were quick to come to the defence of the royal couple, stating they believed what had been shared.

GMB panellist and American singer Chaka Khan said: “We’re talking about racism. I’m coming from a country that is very racist. I lived in Britain for over 30 years. And I found some of the same stuff going on that’s seen all over the world.

“I think when the royal family does look into all of these ‘false’ accusations that they’re going to have to look pretty deep. And I’m only praying, as an American I’m not a britisher, but I’m only hoping and praying that they will look into what she is allegating [sic] and make it right.”

“She has such courage for sharing her struggles talking about her mental health so honestly.

And I believe Harry, and admire his courage deal with it all and to break away,” wrote one user.

As a Brit, I feel it's important to say, many of us believe Meghan & Harry.

We remember how Diana was treated.

We know how The Firm operate.

The ones who believe the media & The Firm, tend to be right wingers, racists & Brexiteers. Not all Brits.#HarryandMeghanonOprah

— James Prescott talks Grief & Transformation (@JamesPrescott77) March 7, 2021

Republic, a campaign group for abolition of the monarchy, was quick to use the opportunity to call for an end to The Firm.

“The monarchy has just been hit by its worst crisis since the abdication in 1936,” the organisation said.“Whether for the sake of Britain or for the sake of the younger royals this rotten institution needs to go.”

The couple have been accused of being on the warpath while others have supported their decision to air their grievances. Picture: Screengrab

Dan Wootton, former correspondent of Britain’s The Sun newspaper, tweeted that Oprah’s chat will go down as one of the most consequential royal interviews of all-time, alongside Diana’s Panorama sit down and Andrew’s Newsnight disaster.

“Does anyone benefit? Sadly, no. Harry and Meghan were on the warpath,” he said.

He also questioned whether they should renounce the Duke and Duchess titles after the bombshell interview.

Harry and Meghan have blown up their relationship with the Royal Family, especially Charles and William, in the Oprah tell-all.
Hard to see a reconciliation given they have branded the royals racist and uncaring.
Surely they should now renounce their titles as Duke and Duchess?

— Dan Wootton (@danwootton) March 8, 2021

One woman tweeted how the country should be ashamed that the monarchy still exists.

“I hope this marks the start of a nation questioning the institutions and norms it accepts as parts of British life. We should be ashamed we still have a monarchy, we should be ashamed that this couple were hounded out of the country,” she wrote.

Is it a royal soap opera or does it speak deeper to the institutions failings? Picture: Screengrab

Many social media users had tweeted how uncomfortable they were over Prince Andrew’s friendship with Jeffrey Epstein yet he still enjoyed the support of the family, with Bafta winner Joloyn Rubinstein summing up the sentiment.

“The U.K. media eating itself whilst trying to justify why it has a bigger problem with Meghan Markle than Prince Andrew,” he wrote.

Senior correspondent at Time magazine Charlotte Atler described the interview as a power play from the couple.

“On a purely tactical level, that interview was a brilliant move by Meghan and Harry,” she said. “Their two obstacles to happiness were the British tabloids and the Royal Family, and this interview sprinkled enough juicy nuggets to turn one enemy (the tabs) against the other (the Firm).”