Ex-British royals Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are again caught up in controversy and criticism for airing their troubles with Britain’s Royal Family in an interview with talk show icon Oprah Winfrey.
During the interview, Harry and Markle made many unsavory claims about their time as the duke and duchess of Sussex before they cut ties with the Royal Family and moved to the United States to begin lives as private citizens. The couple received heavy criticism for their decision to ditch the Royal Family, and again opened themselves up for attack by airing their grievances with the family to the world on Sunday night.
Harry and Markle made a number of claims against the Royal Family as well as against the institution of the monarchy more broadly. Markle claimed a member of the Royal Family expressed “concerns” over their son Archie’s skin tone and “how dark the baby’s going to be potentially and what that would mean or look like.” Harry supported his wife’s claim, but neither specified who allegedly spoke with them about Archie’s skin color. “That conversation I’m never going to share,” Harry said. Both ex-royals accused the Royal Family of declining to protect Meghan from racist attacks from the British press.
While the litany of grievances may have inspired some sympathy for the royal outcasts, the Oprah interview also sparked stiff backlash from critics over how Harry and Markle are treating the royal family.
“In which M & H pretend that no royal has had it worse in the press than they have. Give me a break. Have you ever seen such privileged people wallowing in their own (perceived) victimhood like this?” independent journalist Megyn Kelly said.
In which M & H pretend that no royal has had it worse in the press than they have. Give me a break. Have you ever seen such privileged people wallowing in their own (perceived) victimhood like this? https://t.co/TTIiLhw9uD
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) March 8, 2021
British television host Piers Morgan, who has been one of the most vocal critics of Harry and Markle’s behavior, wrote a column slamming the couple over the interview.
“Meghan & Harry’s nauseating two-hour Oprah whine-athon was a disgraceful diatribe of cynical race-baiting propaganda designed to damage the Queen as her husband lies in hospital — and destroy the Monarchy,” Morgan tweeted.
*NEW COLUMN*
Meghan & Harry's nauseating two-hour Oprah whine-athon was a disgraceful diatribe of cynical race-baiting propaganda designed to damage the Queen as her husband lies in hospital – and destroy the Monarchy.https://t.co/H59yn123VO pic.twitter.com/4WqhBD45RU— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 8, 2021
Washington Examiner chief political correspondent Byron York accused the couple of orchestrating the complaint of racism against the royal family for attention.
“On interview last night: Amid the nonstop whining, what stood out was the obviously planned Meghan/Harry tag-team racism charge. Make allegation you know will be a bombshell and then say Oh, no, we could never say who did it — never!” York said.
On interview last night: Amid the nonstop whining, what stood out was the obviously planned Meghan/Harry tag-team racism charge. Make allegation you know will be a bombshell and then say Oh, no, we could never say who did it — never!
— Byron York (@ByronYork) March 8, 2021
Daily Wire host Candace Owens suggested that the interview showed that Harry is in an “emotionally abusive relationship” with Markle.
“Isolating an individual away from their family and friends, using suicide threats to get what you want — these are CLASSIC signs of an emotionally abusive relationship but we are supposed to suspend rationality because ‘racism.’” Daily Wire host Candace Owens said. “Dear Harry: Meghan is not the victim. YOU are.”
Isolating an individual away from their family and friends, using suicide threats to get what you want— these are CLASSIC signs of an emotionally abusive relationship but we are supposed to suspend rationality because “racism”.
Dear Harry: Meghan is not the victim. YOU are:
— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) March 8, 2021