William and Kate played key role in Palace reaction to Harry and Meghan’s Oprah tell-all: report

Explosive new details have surfaced about Kate’s pivotal role in “toughening up” the Palace’s reaction to Harry and Meghan’s bombshell Oprah tell-all.

Explosive new details have come to light about Prince William and Kate Middleton’s roles in the royals’ response to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Oprah Winfrey interview, more than two years after it aired.

The future King and Queen are said to have been firmly united in wanting a “toughened up” statement by the Palace, with a “steely” Kate herself reportedly the one who pushed for the Queen to add the blunt “recollections may vary” quote.

Royal correspondent and author Valentine Low made the stunning claims in the paperback edition of his book, Courtiers, detailing how the then-Duke and Duchess of Cambridge played a significant part in shaping the Queen’s response.

Among their raft of unflattering accusations against the royals in the Winfrey tell-all, Harry and Meghan made the claims that an 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.

Harry and Meghan’s skin colour comment sparked major backlash for the royal family. Picture: CBS

According to Low, while courtiers were primed and ready to release a statement after the interview first aired in the US, Queen Elizabeth II wanted to wait until it was broadcast that evening in the UK.

“One of the reasons was that the late Queen was adamant that she was going to watch the program first,” Low wrote, in an excerpt from his book, published in The Times.

However, William and Kate were reportedly not keen to idly sit and wait.

“They sat together on a sofa as they discussed with their officials how to deal with the Sussexes’ incendiary allegations,” he said, revealing that there was initially a “much milder version” of the statement drafted.

“William and Kate were clear which side of the debate they were on. They wanted it toughened up a bit,” Low claimed

“They were both of one mind that we needed something that said that the institution did not accept a lot of what had been said.”

It was William in particular, he reported, that stressed they come up with a forceful way “of making sure that we are saying that this does not stand.”

The Princess of Wales is far “steelier” than she appears, according to Low’s source. Picture: Chris Jackson/Getty Images

He further alleged that at least two palace officials argued against the “recollections may vary” phrase in case it should further provoke Harry and Meghan, but Kate reportedly “pressed home the argument that it should remain”.

Low quotes a source as saying: “It was Kate who clearly made the point, ‘History will judge this statement and unless this phrase or a phrase like it is included, everything that they have said will be taken as true’.”

According to Low, it was just one example of Kate’s “steely” nature behind the scenes.

“She does not get as much credit as she should, because she is so subtle about it,” the source reportedly told him.

“She is playing the long game. She has always got her eye on, ‘This is my life and my historic path and I am going to be the Queen one day’.’

As most would now know, the statement was ultimately approved by the Queen – including the now-famous “recollections may vary” quote.

“The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan,” the statement issued by the late Queen Elizabeth II read.

“The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. Whilst some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately.

“Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved family members.”

Originally published as William and Kate played key role in Palace reaction to Harry and Meghan’s Oprah tell-all: report