Conversation on Race: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Interview

One of the most controversial topics of 2021 began from an exclusive CBS interview hosted on Sunday, March 7. Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle sat down with Oprah Winfrey for an hour and a half long candid conversation on life behind closed doors in Buckingham Palace.

Since January 2020 when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped down within the royal family, their life has been kept from the headlines in hopes of obtaining some sense of normalcy. For years Meghan had been in the center of attacks while she was a member of the royal family. Tabloids ran countless stories deeming her unfit to be in the monarchy.

“In those months when I was pregnant, all around this same time, we had 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,” says Meghan during the interview.

The couple admits during the interview that they feel race had a major part in how they were treated during their time as members of the royal family. The couple did not share who voiced these concerns to them at the time.

In response to the video, a statement from the queen on behalf of the royal family states:

“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. While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately.”

Prince Harry and Meghan have been strong voices in response to race-related issues such as the death of George Floyd and advocates for Black Lives Matter. The couple shared they hope that this interview will prompt Buckingham Palace to become more vocal on issues related to race. In 2020, Buckingham Palace did not release any formal message condoning racism.

The interview has created a mass movement for change in the monarchy. Recently, Buckingham Palace announced that they are looking into hiring a Diversity Czar. This position would aid in addressing issues within Buckingham Palace and for outside events.

The couple’s interview shared an insight into how Harry and Meghan were living during their time and they hope it will create a larger impact going forward.

“I was trapped but I didn’t know I was trapped,” said Harry during the interview. “Like the rest of my family are, my father and my brother, they are trapped. They don’t get to leave and I have huge compassion for that.

“For the family, they very much have this mentality of, ‘this is just how it is. This is how it’s meant to be. You can’t change it. We’ve all been through it,’” continued Harry during the interview. “What was different for me was the race element because now it wasn’t just about her. It was about what she represented.”