Meghan Markle: Bonnie Greer discusses Oprah interview
Their 90-minute special with Oprah Winfrey, due to air on CBS on March 7, will feature “charming footage of Archie filmed at the family home”, says a source on the channel. The probing interview, which is said to include revealing details of the final chapter of Megxit – which saw the announcement on Friday that couple quit their royal roles entirely and have been stripped of all patronages – provides an “ideal platform for her manifesto,” according to royal author Margaret Holder.
Royal historian Christopher Wilson has also called on Prince Charles to “step up to take control of the warring Windsors” and reunite the family.
It comes as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex issued an extraordinary statement following Buckingham Palace’s announcement that they would be returning as working members of the Royal Family.
The pair seemed to take a swipe at the announcement by stating “We can all live a life of service”.
Now it has emerged Buckingham Palace may have provoked the angry war of words with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex with a calculated snub that seemingly stripped them of their HRH titles.
Harry and Meghan have agreed not to use the HRH style but it has, so far, not been taken away from them.
Meghan Markle will launch her liberal manifesto during her interview with Oprah, it is claimed (Image: Getty)
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry will be interviewed by Oprah next month (Image: Getty)
But Friday’s statement pointedly ignored their status and referred to them just the Duke and Duchess of Sussex six times while referring to the Queen as Her Majesty.
The Palace statement – seen in advance by Harry and Meghan – could have been the last straw that provoked the Sussexes to respond with a dig at the Queen with their ‘life of service’ response.
One source explained: “The wording was no accident. Anything sent out in the Queen’s name is gone over, edited, amended and finally approved. The use of language was deliberate. It may be that in years to come they do lose or give up their HRH status. But at the moment it is theirs by right.”
Writing in today’s Sunday Express, Ms Holder also points out that Harry and Meghan’s recent video chat with California Governor Gavin Newsom has further fuelled growing claims that the pregnant duchess is planning a future run for political office.
JUST IN: Queen snub: Prince Harry thought ‘state banquets were boring’
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry confirmed they would not be returning as working members of the Royal Family (Image: Getty)
She says of the forthcoming CBS interview: “The combination of friendly neighbour Oprah as her gentle inquisitor, plus the overwhelming attraction of a prime time audience, would guarantee Meghan unequalled publicity for her liberal views on various issues.”
The royal author says Meghan also boasts a social media admirer in attorney Meena Harris, a niece of America’s new Vice President Kamala Harris, and asks: “Might the Duchess see herself as another Kamala, the first female Vice President in US history?”
Royal historian, Christopher Wilson, also writing in today’s Sunday Express, said: “Now comes the time for mending – and as father to Harry and William, as well as his role as future king, it behoves the Prince of Wales to take control and pour oil on troubled waters.”
A senior production source at CBS last night confirmed that, while several hours of interviews with Harry, 36, and his wife, 39, are already in the can – mostly shot at their £11 million mansion in Montecito – Oprah is preparing further questions for them based on last week’s dramatic events.
DON’T MISS:
Queen erupted at Prime Minister after she ‘reached end of her tether’ [INSIGHT]
Meghan and Harry warned over ‘inflicting harm’ on monarchy [DETAILS]
Royal Family LIVE: Meghan and Harry warned ‘no way back for them’ [BLOG]
Prince Harry has been stripped of his honorary military titles (Image: Getty)
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry now live in California (Image: Getty)
He added: “The network was already guaranteed a huge audience, both here at home and around the world. After Friday’s historic announcement, millions more eyes around the planet are going to be glued on them.”
Buckingham Palace announced on Friday that the Sussexes have been stripped of their remaining royal roles following their move to California last year, pointedly saying they could not continue with “the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service.”
Within minutes, the couple responded with a statement viewed as a stinging rebuke to the Queen, in which they insisted they would still “live a life of service” outside the Royal Family, adding: “Service is universal.”
As well as answering Oprah’s questions about being banished from their duties – which some observers believe is likely to pour further fuel on the fire – Harry and Meghan will also discuss their new life in America with their 21-month-old son Archie as well as plans for their second child, which she announced she is expecting last weekend.
The senior CBS source said: “Fans can expect a real first with some charming footage of Archie that was filmed at the family home recently. We’ve only seen glimpses of him so far, so viewers are going to be delighted.”
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, a romantic timeline (Image: Express)
The couple are already planning for the arrival of Archie’s sibling by having a guest room at their Montecito mansion permanently ready for her 64-year-old mother Doria Ragland.
As well as baby-sitting Archie and helping reorganise his nursery for the new arrival, the former yoga instructor is also reportedly continuing to help her son-in-law Harry with workout sessions.
The Prince, whose own mother Princess Diana died when he was twelve, started taking yoga lessons with Doria last year at the rented mansion in Beverly Hills he, Meghan and Archie moved into when they arrived in the US….just weeks before pandemic lockdown.
According to friends and confidantes, Harry “adores Doria” and even calls her ‘Mom’ with a mock American accent. One of those confidantes said yesterday: “He and Meghan view her mother as an important part of the glue that holds them all together.
“She’s basically the only member of either of their families they now see and talk to on a regular basis. They have a huge amount of faith and trust in Doria.”
