Queen Elizabeth II is reportedly “privately devastated” over Sunday’s tell-all interview between Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and Oprah.
“The Queen, who has never given a formal media interview, is said to be privately devastated by the shocking revelations and the potential damage to the reputation of the Royal Family,” royal author Katie Nicholl wrote for Vanity Fair. “She is also deeply concerned for Prince Philip, who remains in the hospital recovering from a heart procedure.”
Queen Elizabeth II is set to start asking senior royals about the allegations of racism, sources told The Sun. Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Charles and Harry himself will be among the senior royals questioned by Queen Elizabeth II, the outlet reported.
The Queen’s former press secretary Charles Anson told Sky News the developments following the sit-down interview are “difficult to deal with,” Vanity Fair reported. “I think these developments are difficult to deal with and she wants to do it in a fair way but in the family circle rather than by public diplomacy.”
It’s still unclear if Queen Elizabeth II watched the interview, but she was briefed on it Monday, according to Vanity Fair. Buckingham Palace released a formal statement Tuesday on behalf of the Queen. The statement directly addressed accusations of racism made by Markle and Prince Harry. (RELATED: Buckingham Palace Responds To Meghan Markle And Prince Harry’s Interview With Oprah Winfrey)
The Duchess of Sussex claimed in the interview there had been “several conversations” with family on “concerns” about how dark Markle and Harry’s son Archie’s skin would be.
“The whole family is saddened to learn the extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan,” the statement said, according to CBS News correspondent Nancy Chen.
Queen Elizabeth quizzing senior royals over Harry and Meghan’s racism claims: report https://t.co/YFvkQOLMZv pic.twitter.com/O621DUYBde
— New York Post (@nypost) March 10, 2021
“The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning,” the statement continued. “While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately.”