It was the conversation that sparked a cultural reassessment of the monarchy's attitude towards race and one the after-effects of which are still being felt within the institution nearly three years later.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's 2021 revelation that an unnamed royal family member (or members) made racially insensitive comments about the skin color of their future children in the early stages of their relationship, was the standout piece of information from their bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey.
The interview prompted a rare response from Buckingham Palace, Prince William and follow-up commentary from Harry in an interview promoting his memoir.
In the years since the Oprah interview, the identity of the family member or members has been widely speculated and debated among royal authors and commentators.
Here, Newsweek looks at everything the royals themselves have said about the race scandal that rocked the monarchy.
'Concerns and Conversations'
Prince Harry and Meghan's first-joint interview since splitting from the monarchy in 2020 was an international television event, airing in the U.S. on March 7, 2021 and the U.K. a day later.
During their sit-down with TV veteran Oprah Winfrey, the couple revealed for the first time the behind-palace-walls tensions with family members, staff and the press, which influenced their move to the U.S. and exit from the monarchy.
In her solo segment with the show host, Meghan discussed the debate around whether her son, Prince Archie, would receive security or titles at the time of his birth in 2019. During this she revealed that there had been "concerns and conversations" between Harry and certain family members about the prince's potential skin color.
Meghan Markle to Oprah Winfrey, March 2021
Meghan: "In those months when I was pregnant, all around this same time ...so we have in tandem the conversation of: 'He won't be given security, he's not going to be given a title,' And also concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he's born..."
Oprah: "Who is having that conversation with you? What?...There is a conversation...Hold up. Stop right now."
Meghan: "There were several conversations about it..."
Oprah: "There's a conversation with you ?"
Meghan: "With Harry."
Oprah: "About how dark your baby is going to be?"
Meghan: "Potentially, and what that would mean or look like."
Oprah: "And you're not going to tell me who had the conversation?"
Meghan: "I think that would be very damaging to them."
Oprah: "OK. So, how does one have that meeting?"
Meghan: "That was relayed to me from Harry. Those were conversations that family had with him. And I think...It was really hard to be able to see those as compartmentalized conversations."
Oprah: "Because they were concerned that if he were too brown, that that would be a problem? Are you saying that?"
Meghan: "I wasn't able to follow up with why, but that...if that's the assumption you're making, I think that feels like a pretty safe one, which was really hard to understand, right?"
'I Was A Bit Shocked'
Winfrey, voicing shock at the revelation, raised the alleged conversations with Harry when he joined Meghan for a joint-segment of the interview.
The prince said he would not share details of the conversation, but added that he was "a bit shocked" by it at the time.
He went on to suggest that the content of the discussion had centered around "what will the baby look like?"
Prince Harry to Oprah Winfrey, March 2021
Oprah: "What was that conversation?"
Harry: "That conversation I'm never going to share, but at the time, it was awkward. I was a bit shocked."
Oprah: "Can you tell us what the question was?"
Harry: "No. I don't...I'm not comfortable with sharing that."
Oprah: "OK."
Harry: "But that was...that was right at the beginning, right?"
Oprah: "Like, what will the baby look like?"
Harry: "Yeah, what will the kids look like...But that was right at the beginning, when she wasn't going to get security, when members of my family were suggesting that she carries on acting, because there was not enough money to pay for her, and all this sort of stuff. Like, there was some real obvious signs before we even got married that this was going to be really hard."
'Concerning'
In the aftermath of the interview's airing, a wave of speculation around the identity of those who took part in the skin color conversation and anti-racist backlash was directed at the monarchy.
A day after the interview was broadcast in Britain, Queen Elizabeth II issued a rare statement through Buckingham Palace responding to the points raised by Harry and Meghan.
Among these, the statement said that the issues raised, "particularly that of race" were "concerning" and would be addressed privately.
Statement from Buckingham Palace on Behalf of Queen Elizabeth II, March 9, 2021
"The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan. The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. While 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."
'Not A Racist Family'
Four days after the interview was first aired in the U.S. Prince William and Kate Middleton made their first public appearance at a school in London.
While touring the campus, the prince was asked about his brother by one of the journalists covering the event.
Asked if the royal family were racist, William issued a rare response, saying: "We are very much not a racist family."
Prince William During Royal Engagement, March 11, 2021
Reporter: "Sir, have you spoken to your brother since the interview?"
William: "No I haven't spoken to him yet, but I will do."
Reporter: "Can you just let me know, is the royal family a racist family, Sir?"
William: "We're very much not a racist family."
'Did Meghan Ever Mention That They're Racist?'
Throughout 2021 and 2022, speculation and discussions surrounding Harry and Meghan's Oprah revelations continued in the press and in media projects.
In January 2023, at the time of the publication of Harry's memoir, Spare, the prince was asked by British broadcaster Tom Bradby about the discussions surrounding Archie's skin color.
Bradby proposed that the prince and Meghan had "accused members of your family of racism," which Harry denied.
"There was concern about his skin color," he said, but clarified that he didn't consider the comments racist, but an example of "unconscious bias."
When pushed on whether he would identify the family members involved in the discussion, Harry said he would "never talk about that."
Prince Harry to Tom Bradby for ITV, January 2023
Bradby: "In the Oprah interview you accused members of your family of racism..."
Harry: "No I didn't. The British press said that. Did Meghan ever mention that they're racist?"
Bradby: "She said there were troubling comments about Archie's skin color."
Harry: "There was—there was concern about his skin color."
Bradby: "Right. Wouldn't you describe that as essentially racist?"
Harry: "I wouldn't, not having lived within that family...So again, going back to the difference between what my understanding is because of my own experience, the difference between racism and unconscious bias, the two things are different. But once it's been acknowledged or pointed out to you as an individual—or as an institution—that you have unconscious bias, you therefore have an opportunity to learn and grow from that in order so that you are part of the solution rather than part of the problem. Otherwise unconscious bias then moves into the category of racism."
Bradby: "Isn't there a danger that people are going to think bad—you know, you haven't identified which members of the family..."
Harry: "And I will never talk...I will never talk about that."
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We'd love to hear from you.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
James Crawford-Smith is a Newsweek Royal Reporter, based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on the British royal family ... Read more
