Britain's Queen Elizabeth and her family have said they were saddened to learn of the experiences of Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle, saying they would address issues around race that were raised by the couple in an interview with Oprah Winfrey.
“The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement on behalf of the Queen.
“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.”
The monarchy was left in crisis after Harry and Meghan delivered dramatic revelations on primetime television.
The couple laid bare their brief lives as working royals, alleging a member of the family – not the Queen or Prince Philip – made a racist comment about their son, and how Meghan had suicidal thoughts but her approaches to the monarchy for help were turned down.
Pressure had been mounting on the Palace to respond to the accusations of racism following the explosive interview.
The statement comes a day and half after the two-hour conversation was aired in the US.
A royal source said the Palace considered this to be a family matter and the royals should be given the opportunity to discuss the issues raised privately as a family.
The source added that they had needed to carefully consider the response before it was issued, and that had also allowed people in the UK to watch the interview first if they wanted to.
