Prince William has responded to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s interview with Oprah Winfrey — saying the Royals are “very much not a racist family”.
The 38-year-old Duke of Cambridge, who made the comments while on a public engagement this morning, also revealed that he had not spoken to his brother about the interview but said he has plans to do so.
This was the first time William has commented on the accusations of racism directed at the family that surfaced in the wake of Harry and Meghan’s televised face-to-face with Oprah last Sunday, which has rocked the British institution.
The Duke and his wife, Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, were on their first public engagement since the broadcast, visiting a school in east London to promote mental health, when a reporter asked William: “Is the royal family a racist family, sir?”
The duke replied: “We’re very much not a racist family.”
Harry and Meghan say royal member made racist comments about their unborn baby
The Royals have come under intense fire since Meghan and Harry revealed that a senior Royal had questioned the skin color of the unborn Archie, implying that there was concern he may be too dark.
The Duke and Duchess refused to say which family member had made the remarks, saying they thought it “would be very damaging to them.” The next day, Oprah clarified on CBS This Morning that the couple said neither the Queen nor Prince Philip had been responsible for the remarks.
Buckingham Palace has since released a statement which said the family were “saddened to learn of the full extent” of the challenges faced by Harry and Meghan. They also stated that the issues raised, particularly on race, were very “concerning.”
They insisted that “recollections may vary” but said that the issues would be taken “very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately.”
The statement finished by saying that Harry and Meghan remain much loved members of the family.
Prince William says he intends to speak to Prince Harry
This morning, Prince William was also asked if he had spoken to Harry since the Oprah Winfrey interview. He replied: “No, I haven’t spoken to him yet, but I will do.”
The Duke of Cambridge was the first Royal to speak out publicly about the interview.
In the conversation on Sunday, Meghan complained that her mental health had deteriorated so much that she began to feel suicidal. She claimed that husband Harry had “saved” her by quitting the Royal Family and moving her and Archie to America.