THE Queen is reportedly backing Prince William after he insisted the royals were “very much not a racist family”.
A stern Wills yesterday became the first senior Royal to speak out following Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s explosive Oprah interview.
Read our Meghan and Harry live blog for the latest news...
On a visit to a school in East London, the Duke of Cambridge told reporters that he hadn’t spoken to his brother following the CBS broadcast on Sunday evening – but added: “I will do”.
Palace insiders told the Daily Mail that the 38-year-old had done “very well given the emotion and enormity of it all”.
According to the paper, Buckingham Palace and Clarence Home – the official homes of the Queen and Prince Charles – were both supportive of William’s intervention.
Kate and William are said to be deeply upset by the Oprah interview – in which Meghan accused an unnamed family member of raising concerns over her unborn baby’s skin tone.
The stoic Queen released a carefully-worded statement on Tuesday evening saying she was “saddened” by the interview but “recollections may vary”.
It comes as:
- The Queen ‘prepares to call Meghan and Harry to offer an olive branch’
- Piers Morgan smiled for the media after stepping down from Good Morning Britain when he refused to apologise to Meghan
- It’s claimed Meghan was helped by top mentors – but ‘wouldn’t listen to anyone’
- The royal couple took 13 holidays – despite the Duchess claiming her passport was taken away
- Meghan’s team told the BBC ‘not to just use old white men’ when debating the interview
Prince William went further yesterday as Meghan’s claims of racism in the Royal Family were put to him.
He told the waiting press the royals are “very much not a racist family” as he and Kate arrived.
Asked if he’d spoken to his brother or sister-in-law since the chat aired, he replied: “No, I haven’t spoken to him yet… but I will do.”
Meghan’s claim that a senior royal raised concerns about Archie being “too brown” was the most damaging allegation to come out of the broadcast.
But William battled back as he and Kate cheered school children back in classes this week on a trip to School21 in Stratford, east London.
Yesterday’s trip was also to support a mental health project for pupils which Kate launched in primary schools in 2018.
During the chat, the couple made a series of allegations against the Royal Family – including that Meghan had been left in tears by Kate over the flower girl dresses in the lead up to the Royal Wedding.
And while Meghan said she had forgiven Kate, The Times claimed on Monday that the 39-year-old slammed the door in her sister-in-law’s face when she took flowers to Nottingham Cottage – the Sussex’s home at the time.
Meghan also broke down in tears as she revealed she told her husband she “didn’t want to be alive anymore” and had suicidal thoughts.
The Duchess said she begged for help from the Firm – but it was her husband who “saved” her.
Meghan also told Oprah there had been conversations with Prince Harry and a “family” member about their unborn son and what colour his skin would be – and “what that would mean or look like”.
Oprah later revealed the senior royal who made the comments wasn’t either the Queen or Prince Philip, who currently remains in hospital after undergoing heart surgery.
The chat show queen told CBS This Morning that she’d asked Harry about who had said it – adding: “He did not share the identity with me but he wanted to make sure I knew, and if I had an opportunity to share it, that it was not his grandmother or grandfather that were part of those conversations.
“He did not tell me who was a part of those conversations.”
Almost two days after the interview aired, the Queen addressed the allegations with a public statement, which read: “The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan.
“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.”
It’s understood the monarch has now taken control of the situation and will reach out to Meghan and Harry personally.
But William is said to be “beyond livid” by the interview.
During the chat, Harry said he feels let down by his family – and is barely speaking to his brother, describing their relationship now as “space”.
He claimed his father Charles stopped taking his calls after Megxit and was financially cut off by the Royal Family last year.
The Duke said there was a “lot of hurt” between him and his dad – but insisted he had not “blindsided” the Queen when announcing he and Meghan were stepping back as senior working royals.
He also discussed his relationship with William, saying he loved him “to bits” but he and the future king were “on different paths”.
But he said he believes William and Charles are “trapped” by the monarchy.
The 36-year-old dad said: “I myself was trapped as well, I didn’t see a way out.
“I was trapped but I didn’t know I was trapped. My father and my brother – they are trapped. They don’t get to leave and I have huge compassion for that.”
On Tuesday, Prince Charles was asked about the interview as he was seen for the first time since it aired.
When asked by a reporter what he thought of the chat, Charles, who was visiting an NHS vaccine centre in London, gave a nervous chuckle and carried on walking.
But according to a friend of the prince, Charles was “in a state of despair” before the conversation was screened, Vanity Fair reports.
