London (UK): Buckingham Palace on Tuesday in a statement on behalf of the Queen said the British Royal family is "saddened" to learn of how challenging the last few years have been for Prince Harry and his wife Meghan and that allegations of racism made by the Sussexes were concerning and being "taken very seriously."
"The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan," the statement reads. "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," it adds. The response comes over 36 hours after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex made a series of accusations in their first sit-down interview since stepping back from life as senior royals and moving to the US last year.
Watch: Prince Harry and Meghan to 'step back' as senior UK royals
Some of the claims — including allegations of racism and Meghan's admission that she felt suicidal during her first pregnancy — have the potential to deeply impact the royal family's reputation and have left a cloud of suspicion over some of its members. In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, Meghan said that her life as a member of the royal family had affected her mental health and she had thoughts of self-harm but her senior aides declined to help. According to People Magazine, the 39-year-old disclosed that she had thoughts of self-harm while being a part of the royal family.
Watch: Prince Harry, Meghan release charity video to mark baby Archie's first birthday
During the interview, Meghan Markle said, "I was ashamed to say it at the time and ashamed to have to admit it to Harry. But I knew that if I didn't say it then I would do it," she said. Meghan also revealed that members of the British royal family expressed concern to her husband Prince Harry about the potential skin colour of the couple's first child. As per People magazine, Meghan said that her son Archie was denied a royal title and royal protection and that there were "concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he is born."
Read: It’s final: Harry & Meghan won’t return as working royals
In the sit-down interview with Oprah, that was aired on Meghan said the palace decreed that Archie would not have any title, a move she says was "different from the protocol." "They didn't want him to be a prince... which would be different from protocol, and that he wasn't going to receive security," the Duchess of Sussex told Oprah. She added, "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." According to Sputnik, In a survey conducted by the pollster on Monday, just 12 per cent of Britons said they have "a lot" of sympathy for Harry and Meghan, and a third of respondents said they had no sympathy at all for the couple.
Read: Prince Harry & Meghan support completion of relief centre
The Hill reported that Last week, ahead of "Oprah with Meghan and Harry's" air date, Buckingham Palace announced that it was launching an investigation following accusations by a former aide that Meghan bullied staff. A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex called the bullying accusations, stemming from a complaint filed in 2018, an "attack on her character" in a statement to The Hill, saying she was "saddened" particularly as "someone who has been the target of bullying herself and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma." Meghan and Harry officially stepped down from their roles as senior royals last year. Since last summer, Meghan and Harry have been living with Archie in their new home in Southern California, not far from Oprah's, near Santa Barbara.
ANI
Read: Race, title and anguish: 11 Biggest revelations from Harry-Meghan interview with Oprah
