Oprah with Meghan and Harry was teased endlessly,
but when the lengthy interview was finally unleashed upon the world, it somehow managed
to be even more shocking than any of us anticipated. The groundbreaking chat, which covered the
royal defectors' difficult time with the British monarchy, revealed more about the intensely
private family than ever before. Unfortunately for the royals themselves, the
biggest bombshells cast them in a negative light. As People reports, among other things, Meghan
and Harry shared how unwilling the family was to help with the constant negative attention
from the tabloids, while one unnamed senior member reportedly expressed concern over the
shade of their son Archie's skin prior to his birth. Although the Duke and Duchess of Sussex feel
a weight has been lifted off their shoulders after sharing their story with the world,
there have been a number of repercussions to them speaking out so publicly. One of the most notable moments during the
Oprah interview found the legendary TV host asking Meghan whether she was concerned about
the fallout from the royal family, to which the Duchess memorably reasoned, "I don't know how they could expect that,
after all of this time, we would still just be silent if there is an active role that
The Firm is playing in perpetuating falsehoods about us. And, if that comes with risk of losing things
... there is a lot that has been lost already." Prince Harry was slightly more cautious because,
as E! Entertainment's Chief Correspondent and Head of News and British ex-pat Melanie
Bromley told Glamour, "He understands the implications, once you
make racism allegations against the royal family you can't put that back in the box. You can't come back from that." In fact, as Bromley explained, it may ruin
Harry's relationship with his family forever. Royal commentator Roya Nikkhah claimed the
family is in "fire fighting" mode over the claims. As People reports, the palace has been rocked
by Meghan and Harry's claims, reportedly feeling "deep sorrow and shock." However, as Elle noted, Oprah's BFF Gayle
King revealed nobody had reached out to Meghan since the interview aired. Moreover, the relationship between Harry and
his brother, Prince William, has been incredibly strained. The Sussexes informed Oprah the monarchy has
an "invisible contract" with the British tabloids and is concerned about upsetting them. Indeed, according to one of those very same
tabloids, the royal family is done with Meghan and Harry. Daily Mirror royal editor Russell Myers, speaking
on his own podcast, Pod Save the Queen, opined, "Their relationship with the rest of the Royal
Family is in the gutter and whether there is any way back for them I'm not sure." In fact, Myers reckons the royal defectors
could likely do a follow-up interview and reveal even more. He said, "I don't think this is the last we've heard
of it and I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if they pop up again ... Because that's their
way of dealing with things now." The Sussexes might have lost their standing
in Hollywood too. According to royal commentator Barbara Ellen,
Meghan and Harry won't fit in with elite members like the Obamas and Clooneys after their shocking
interview. The Duchess was previously a highly sought-after
actress, thanks in large part to her starring role in Suits, and the couple's move to fashionable
Montecito, California suggests they may be eyeing a spot on the A-list. As far as Ellen is concerned, though, they
haven't a hope. As she noted, "Put it this way: has Michelle Obama ever
sat on a TV sofa b---hing about her sister-in-law?" The commentator explained that, although the
royal family obviously tend to keep their cards close to their chest, it's worth noting
that speaking out as the Sussexes have done is, "Also the antithesis of how the mega-rich,
uber-influential, notoriously private elite conduct themselves." Mega-famous celebs live very discreetly, and
the Sussexes may struggle to fit in or find common ground with them as a result. Judging by social media, the public is split
right down the middle on the Oprah interview. However, according to a poll conducted by
YouGov US and The Economist, support for Meghan and Harry in the States dropped significantly
after the interview aired. Average scores for the Sussexes were down
over 10 points, compared to the weeks leading up to the interview. Likewise, a YouGov U.K. poll confirmed 36
percent of British respondents sympathized with the royal family, while just 22 percent
sided with the Sussexes. As the L.A. Times notes, even Prime Minister
Boris Johnson doubled down on his support for the monarchy when asked to comment on
the interview. He gushed, "I've always had the highest admiration for
the Queen and the unifying role that she plays in our country and across the Commonwealth." Meghan and Harry were smart enough to not
attack the Queen directly, which, as royal historian Robert Lacey told The Guardian,
saved them because "they would have forfeited an enormous amount of sympathy" by doing so. There may be hope for a reconciliation yet. Check out one of our newest videos right here! Plus, even more List videos about the royals
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