Meghan and Harry’s explosive tell-all divides Palace

Meghan tells how she wanted to kill herself and says members of the royal family were racist.

The Duchess of Sussex has ­revealed she wanted to kill herself when she was pregnant and alleged members of the royal family were racist in an explosive tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey.

With Prince Harry by her side, Meghan said during the two-hour interview she was denied help and alleged that there was official concern about the skin colour of her unborn son, Archie, and a conspiracy to deny him a title because he was of mixed race.

When the duchess told the royal family’s human resources department that she was suicidal, she was told that if she sought medical help, it would harm the “institution”. “I just didn’t want to be alive anymore,’’ she said, revealing that prior to an official engagement she didn’t want to be left alone because she feared what she might do.

In the biggest royal tell-all since Harry’s mother, Princess Diana, detailed her crumbling marriage to Prince Charles, in 1995, the duke when pressed by Winfrey said he was ashamed of revealing his wife’s condition to other members of his family.

Meghan, 39, also told of royal “concerns” about “how dark” her son’s skin would be, saying Harry revealed to her official conver­sations over Archie’s appearance, as well as the security he would be entitled to, ahead of his birth on May 6, 2019.

The duchess refused to the name those people because “it would be very damaging”.

Meghan — whose father is white and mother African American — went on to suggest that because her baby would be mixed race, racism was behind the decision to deny Archie a royal title and personal security.

“In those months when I was pregnant ... we have in tandem the conversation of ‘he won’t be given security, he’s not going to be given a title’ and also concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he’s born,” Meghan said.

A selection of British newspaper publications report the interview.

“That was relayed to me from Harry — those were conver­sations the family had with him.”

After the couple’s surprise decision in late 2019 to move to North America, the former television actress has been portrayed in some British newspapers as headstrong, calculating and spoiled, and the couple reckless and selfish for quitting royal life.

Harry, 36, revealed the deep divisions within his family, saying he felt “really let down” by how his father had handled the situation.

In his rearguard role late in the interview, Harry said he had been trapped within the royal family and added that the Prince of Wales and his brother William were still trapped.

He blamed British tabloids for their aggressive criticism of his wife, saying it started shortly after their 2018 wedding and became worse after Meghan was so ­successful on the Australian tour.

He also revealed that in the ­tumultuous months post-Megxit, he talked to the Queen and speaks to his grandmother now more than before the couple left the UK last March, zooming with her to show off Archie.

The rift with Charles remains after this father at one point refused to take his calls. Harry said he still felt let down by his father, who also stopped sending money last year; he said it was only his mother’s inheritance (believed to be about $30m or $40m) that had helped him get through and, bizarrely, said Diana could see what would happen to her younger son.

“I have got what my Mum left me,” he said. “I think my Mum saw it coming. I felt my Mum’s presence through this process.’’

When Winfrey asked why Charles stopped taking his calls, Harry said: “Because I took matters into my own hands.”

He went on: “I need to do things for my own family … for my own mental health, for my wife’s and for Archie’s as well, I could see where this was headed”.

As for William, Harry paused before saying: “The relationship is … space at the moment.’’

He said he felt “deep compassion’’ for his father and brother for being trapped in a life they couldn’t leave, adding they were terrified of British tabloids, which held the royals hostage.

Some parts of the interview were melodramatic: Meg­han compared herself with the Little Mermaid who “falls in love with a prince and loses her voice, but in the end she gets her voice back”.

There were nice moments, such as Harry revealing they were expecting a girl in the summer and some cute footage of Archie running on the beach — all the more poignant because it’s difficult to see just how or when ­Archie and the new baby will meet their British relatives.

These are two major and significant issues and the palace, while initially indicating they wouldn’t be commenting on the Oprah interview, will be pressured into making some sort of response in coming days.

But the public airing of such intimate family conversations is likely to have cast Harry and Meg­han further adrift from their British family. The royals will be deeply hurt that the couple continues to try to destroy the institution that provides them with a lucrative platform and title that they are commercialising.

Meghan was the Crown's greatest opportunity for change, regeneration, and reconciliation in a new era. They didn't just maltreat her light--they missed out on it.

— Amanda Gorman (@TheAmandaGorman) March 8, 2021

The British public, yet to see the interview as it is broadcast on Monday night in the UK, are as likely to be harsh on Meg­han.

The American audience is sympathetic, however, and believes Harry and Meghan escaped an evil institution.

In the end, the most Winfrey’s interview showed us is that Harry and Meghan’s relationship with the royals is even more toxic than we could ever have imagined.

If you or someone you know is at risk of suicide, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.