Royal family says Harry, Meghan racism charges 'concerning'

Buckingham Palace said on Tuesday that allegations of racism made earlier this week by Prince Harry and Meghan were “concerning” and would be addressed privately by the royal family.

The comments, made in a statement issued on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II, are the first from the palace since the two-hour television interview with Meghan and Harry rocked the royal family. Meghan, who is biracial, said the palace had failed to help her when she had suicidal thoughts and that an unidentified member of the royal family had raised “concerns” about the color of her baby’s skin when she was pregnant with her son, Archie.

“The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan,” the palace said. “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.”

US network CBS, which first broadcast Oprah Winfrey’s interview on Sunday, said close to 50 million people had watched worldwide, and the figure would rise as more territories air it.

Winfrey later said Harry told her off camera that the family member wasn’t Queen Elizabeth II or Prince Philip, sparking a flurry of speculation about who it could be. While many say the allegations demonstrate the need for change inside a palace, others have criticized Harry and Meghan for dropping their bombshell while Harry’s 99-year-old grandfather, Prince Philip, remains hospitalized in London after a heart procedure.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday he had the highest admiration for the queen but that he did not want to speak about the interview. New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said her nation was unlikely to stop having the queen as head of state soon.

However, former Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said the allegations should pave the way towards his country holding another referendum on abolishing the monarchy.

A YouGov poll of 4,656 people after the interview aired in Britain indicated almost a third (32 percent) felt the couple was unfairly treated, the same proportion as those who thought the opposite.

Younger people and opposition Labour supporters were more favorable to Harry and Meghan. Older respondents and Conservatives took the royal family’s side.

Piers Morgan, the pugnacious British TV presenter who lost his job in ITV’s Good Morning Britain over his attacks on Meghan, said on Wednesday he still did not believe what she had said during the Winfrey interview.