Buckingham Palace Breaks Silence on Prince Harry, Meghan Claims
Buckingham Palace has released its first statement regarding Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's interview with Oprah Winfrey.
Many were shocked during the couple's interview with Oprah, wherein they revealed details of their lives living as royals back in the United Kingdom. Meghan also discussed how the royal family declined to make her son, Archie, a prince.
"The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan," Queen Elizabeth said in a statement released by the Buckingham Palace as reported by CBS News.
The statement continued to say that the issues raised by Prince Harry and Meghan are concerning, particularly regarding race. It added that they are taking it very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately.
"Harry, Meghan, and Archie will always be much loved family members," the Buckingham Palace statement read.
READ NEXT: Prince Harry Lost Title Over Comments on US Elections, Report Says
Prince Harry and Meghan's Interview
Among the things that the couple discussed during their interview was Archie's skin color, citing that there had been many conversations among the royal family about "how dark" their baby's skin would be.
Oprah clarified later that Prince Harry said those conversations did not involve his grandmother or grandfather, Queen Elizabeth, and Prince Philip.
The interview was one of the latest scandals the royal family has faced ever since Princess Diana died in 1997. Many criticized the family, which was led by Queen Elizabeth, for being too slow to address the late princess's death.
Prince Harry also mentioned in the interview that he felt his father, Prince Charles, had let him down and that he had felt trapped in his royal life, according to a Reuters report.
Prince Charles declined to comment about the interview when a reporter asked him, NPR reported.
Among other things discussed was the royal family's reluctance to give Prince Harry and Meghan any security assistance. The couple added that their home address in Canada was also revealed by media outlet The Daily Mail, raising concerns for their safety. And eventually, it resulted in their move to California.
More than 17 million viewers watched the two-hour special on Sunday night, earning 3.6 ratings in adults and a 2.6 among 18 to 49. This makes it the largest primetime audience for any entertainment special since the Academy Awards last February, People reported.
Criticisms About the Buckingham Palace-Rattling Interview
Meanwhile, along with the support and encouragement that the couple received, their interview also garnered criticisms. During his show, Good Morning Britain, Piers Morgan said on Monday that he does not believe Meghan's claim about her mental health.
Morgan further noted that he does not believe a word that Meghan says, adding that he would not believe her even if she read the weather report to him.
On Tuesday morning's broadcast, weather presenter Alex Beresford criticized Morgan's remarks and defended Meghan. Morgan then suddenly left the set.
By Tuesday afternoon, the prominent media figure was gone from the show. According to ITV, the U.K.'s media watchdog agency, Ofcom, received thousands of complaints about Morgan's behavior. A spokesperson for ITV noted that Morgan has decided to leave Good Morning Britain.
READ MORE: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle Are Expecting Their Second Baby
WATCH: Prince Harry, Meghan Reveal Struggles Behind Royal Rift in Oprah Interview - From CBC News