Yahoo Movies Seven key takeaways from Meghan and Harry's Oprah interview
Meghan and Harry, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, sat down for a tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey, which aired on CBS in the US last night. It will be shown tonight (8 March) on ITV at 9pm for UK viewers. Below, we recap six key takeaways from the revelatory interview.
Meghan suffered with her mental health and had suicidal thoughts while pregnant
The Duchess of Sussex suffered with severe mental health issues while she was pregnant with Archie, during her time as a senior working royal. In her new, much-publicised interview with Oprah Winfrey, Meghan talked openly about how she asked for help from "the institution", but that it wasn't provided to her.
Breaking down into tears, the duchess said that, at her lowest, she "just didn't want to be alive any more". When she suffered an onslaught of abusive reports from the tabloid press, she says she was discouraged from leaving the house for months, and wasn't defended by the palace.
“It was all happening just because I was breathing,” Meghan said. “I just didn’t want to be alive any more. That was a clear, real, frightening and constant thought.”
She explained that the royal household flatly denied her seeking psychiatric help, because it "wouldn't be good for the institution". Prince Harry confirmed her accounts, adding that he also went to "a very dark place" but that he just "wanted to be there for her".
"I went to one of the most senior people to get help," Meghan explained. "And I share this because, there are so many people who are afraid to voice that they need help, and I know how hard it is to not just voice it but to be told no."
She added that she'd felt ashamed of her feelings: “I was really ashamed to say it at the time, and ashamed to have to admit it to Harry, especially because I know how much loss he suffered."
Harry and Meghan actually got married three days before their royal wedding
The couple revealed that on the day of their fairytale Royal Wedding, they were actually already married - and that was simply "a spectacle for the world". The pair had got married three days previously, in a small ceremony held by the Archbishop of Canterbury in their back garden.
"We called the archbishop, and we just said, 'Look, this thing, this spectacle is for the world, but we want our union between us," Meghan recalled. She said that they have the vows from that small ceremony "framed" in their home.
Harry confirmed that it was "just the three" of them, with no other friends or family present.
They were never given a clear reason as to why Archie wasn't made a prince
"They were saying they didn't want him to be a prince or princess, which would be different from protocol, and that he wasn't going to receive security," Meghan told Oprah. "This went on for the last few months of our pregnancy where I was going, hold on for a second."
She added that the couple weren't bothered about the title itself, but they just wanted to ensure security for their baby: "They said [he's not going to get security], because he's not going to be a prince. Okay, well, he needs to be safe so we're not saying don't make him a prince or princess, but if you're saying the title is what's going to affect that protection, we haven't created this monster machine around us in terms of clickbait and tabloid fodder you've allowed that to happen which means our son needs to be safe."
When Prince Charles becomes King, Archie should automatically become a prince as a grandchild of the monarch. But "even with that convention" the household said, "'I want to change the convention for Archie.' Well, why?" asked Meghan.
Concerns were raised about Archie's skin colour
The couple also revealed that a senior member of the household approached Harry with "concerns and conversations about how dark [Archie's] skin might be when he was born".
Meghan added that it was particularly concerning that she felt the "the first member of colour in this family isn't being titled in the same way as other grandchildren would be".
They are expecting a baby girl
The couple confirmed that their new arrival will be a girl. It's believed to be the first time that a royal baby's gender has been revealed before the birth.
When Oprah asked how he felt when he saw the ultrasound, Harry responded: "Amazing. Just grateful, like — to have any child, any one or any two would have been amazing, but to have a boy and then a girl, what more can you ask for?" He added, "now we've got our family. We've got the four of us and our two dogs and it's great."
They confirmed that the baby is due "in the summer" and that they didn't plan to have any more children. "Two is it," Meghan said.
Harry says he felt trapped as a royal
The duke admitted to feeling "trapped" by his previous life, but just not realising it until he met Meghan.
"I was trapped but I didn’t know I was trapped," he told Oprah. The prince also admitted that he avoided going to some of his immediate family members for help when things were at their worst with Meghan's mental health.
"That’s not a conversation that would be had," he explained. "I guess I was ashamed of admitting it to them. I don’t know whether they would have the same feelings or thoughts. it’s a very trapping environment that a lot of them are stuck in."
He added that "there's a lot to work through" with regards to his relationship with his father, Prince Charles.
"I feel really let down because he’s been through something similar. He knows what pain feels like. And Archie’s his grandson. But at the same time, of course, I will always love him.” He added of his brother, William: "I love William to bits. He’s my brother, we’ve been through hell together. We were on different paths."
Both spoke highly of the Queen
Despite criticising the institution of "the firm", Harry and Meghan both spoke warmly of the Queen - fondly recalling anecdotes.
Meghan described the first time she met the Queen as being "lovely and easy".
"The Queen has always been wonderful to me," she said. "I really loved being in her company."
Harry also explained that they made sure his grandmother was never "blindsided" by any of their announcements or news.
“I’ve never blindsided my grandmother, I have too much respect for her," he said, explaining that they currently have a good relationship. "I've spoken to my grandmother more this past year than I have in many years," he added.
If you've struggled with issues of mental health and suicidal thoughts, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 or emailjo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie in the UK and Ireland. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. Other international helplines can be found atwww.befrienders.org.
You Might Also Like
