The Final Betrayal: How Harry and Meghan's Oprah Interview Changed the Royal Family Forever
ROYAL SHOCKER: Harry's 'Betrayal' Leaves Queen in Tears - And It's a Long Way Back
In a jaw-dropping exposé, insiders have revealed that Prince Harry's decision to speak out against the monarchy and accuse an unnamed member of the Royal Family of racism was the final nail in the coffin for his grandmother, the late Queen Elizabeth II. The Queen's relationship with Harry had been strained in the years leading up to his wedding to Meghan Markle, but it was Harry's "betrayal" during their tell-all Oprah Winfrey interview that left Her Majesty feeling betrayed and hurt.
According to sources close to the Palace, the Queen was "profoundly unhappy" with Harry and Meghan prior to their wedding day. Biographer Sally Bedell Smith revealed in her book Royal Extras that Lady Elizabeth Anson, the Queen's cousin, told her that Harry had been "rude" to his grandmother during a meeting about his wedding plans. The Queen was also left feeling "saddened" by Meghan's refusal to disclose details of her dress.
But it wasn't until Harry and Meghan's Oprah interview that the Queen felt truly betrayed. When asked if someone in the Royal Family had expressed concerns about Archie's skin color before he was born, Meghan alleged that an unnamed member of the family had raised "concerns" about how dark their first child's skin would be and what that would mean or look like.
The Queen was devastated by these allegations, which cast suspicion over every senior royal in the family. Sources close to the Palace claim that Harry's actions were a "horrific series of betrayals" at the end of her life, particularly given that Prince Philip was on his deathbed at the time.
In an explosive u-turn, Harry later claimed that Meghan had never mentioned that anyone in the Royal Family was racist. He also insisted that the comments made about Archie's skin color were "unconscious bias." However, this only added fuel to the fire and further strained relations between the Sussexes and the Palace.
Royal author Valentine Low wrote in his book Courtiers: "The late Queen was adamant that she was going to watch the programme [Oprah interview] first. She was going to watch it with the rest of the population, on ITV on Monday evening." The Queen's statement at the time said: "Recollections may vary" - a subtle hint that the royals were unwilling to let Harry and Meghan's narrative become the definitive version.
The Queen's cousin, Lady Elizabeth Anson, told Sally Bedell Smith that Harry was characterized as "the joker" by his grandmother. This led to difficulties in serious conversations between them, with Harry allowing his reputation to dominate his life - including writing a memoir about it.
In his book Spare, Harry wrote about the tension between him and his brother Prince William. He claimed that William always felt the Queen indulged him in his misbehaviour, while he was expected to maintain high standards. This led to heated arguments, including one over Harry's beard on his wedding day. The Queen found herself caught in the middle of these sibling rivalries.
As a result of the Oprah interview and subsequent fallout, it seems unlikely that the relationship between the Sussexes and the Royal Family will ever fully heal. In a fresh dig at the Palace, Harry recently spoke to the BBC about losing his legal challenge against the government over his security. He claimed there had been "so many disagreements" in the family, but the "only thing that's left" is the row over his security.
In an emotional interview, Harry also touched on King Charles' cancer treatment and expressed a desire for reconciliation with some members of his family. However, he acknowledged that others may never forgive him for writing his memoir.
It seems that the Queen's relationship with her grandson was irreparably damaged by Harry's actions. As one insider put it: "When you attack the institution that she spent her whole life serving, that betrayal is complete."
