Kate Middletonadvocated for the “some recollections may vary” line to be included in Buckingham Palace’s official response toPrince HarryandMeghan Markle’s 2021Oprah Winfreyinterview claims, according to a new book.
After the Duke and Duchess of Sussex alleged during theirMarch 2021 Oprah interviewthat there were “concerns and conversations about how dark” their son Archie’s “skin might be when he’s born,” the Palace released a61-word statementin response.
Low quotes a source who claimed that the Palace’s response initially had “a much milder version” of the “recollections” sentence.
“The debate was, do you rise entirely above it and offer the olive branch of [Harry and Meghan being] ‘much-loved members of the family'? Or is there some moment when you have to intervene and offer a view?” the source shared with Low, adding that Kate and Prince William wanted it “toughened up.”
“They were both of one mind that we needed something that said that the institution did not accept a lot of what had been said,” the source explained.
Another source told the author that Kate insisted the phrase remain in the Palace’s response. “It was Kate who clearly made the point, ‘History will judge this statement and unless this phrase or a phrase like it is included, everything that they have said will be taken as true.'"
The source continued, “She does not get as much credit as she should, because she is so subtle about it. She is playing the long game. She has always got her eye on, ‘This is my life and my historic path and I am going to be Queen one day.'"
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In response, the Royal Family said in a statement at the time that it was “saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan.”
Oprah later confirmed onCBS This Morningthat it was not either of Harry’s grandparents,Queen ElizabethorPrince Philip, who made the comment about Archie’s skin. “He did not tell me who was a part of those conversations,” she added at the time. “As you can see, I tried to get that answer on camera and off.”
source: people.com
