AsQueen Elizabethmarks69 years on the throne this year, she is dealing with one of the biggest blows to the royal family in the wake ofMeghan MarkleandPrince Harry’sinterview with Oprah Winfrey.
“What she won’t want is family conflict at this stage of her reign,” a royal insider tells PEOPLE.
Many in palace circles say Harry’s criticism of the “institution” can’t be separated from the Queen because she is head of the institution.
While the Queen recently reunited with her husbandPrince Philip, 99, after hismonth-long hospital stay, she dealt with the immediate aftermath of Meghan and Harry’s interview solo.
“She is always head of the country andPrince Philipwas always head of the family,” the insider adds. “He is not there to be that—so everything is falling on to her shoulders. It must be an incredibly lonely place to be.”
Queen Elizabeth.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle speak to Oprah Winfrey.CBS/Youtube
The Queen responded to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s interviewin a statement, saying, “The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan.”
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“Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved family members.”
During the couple’s sit-down with Oprah on March 7, Meghan said 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’s born.”
Harry and Meghan did not identify who made the remarks, though Oprah said it was not his grandparentsQueen ElizabethandPrince Philip.
William responded to the racism claims while on a royal outing with wifeKate Middleton, telling a reporter, “We are very much not a racist family.”
When asked if he had spoken to Harry, he added, “No, I haven’t spoken to him yet, but I will do.”
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During the sit-down,Prince Harryalso said his father had stopped taking his calls for a period of time. “There’s a lot to work through there. I feel really let down because he’s been through something similar,” he said. “He knows what pain is like. And Archie’s his grandson.”
Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince Harry.Samir Hussein/WireImage
Prince Harryhas since spoken with his brotherPrince Williamand fatherPrince Charlesfollowing the interview, but the conversations were said to be less than effective.
“The word I was given was that those conversations were not productive. But they are glad that they have at least started a conversation,” Gayle King, who is friends with Meghan and Oprah, recently revealed.
“I think it’s frustrating for them to see that it’s a racial conversation about the royal family when all they wanted all along was for the royals to intervene and tell the press to stop with the unfair, inaccurate, false stories that definitely have a racial slant,” King continued.
“And until you can acknowledge that, I think it’s going to be hard to move forward. But they both want to move forward with this and they both want healing in this family. At the end of the day, that is Harry’s family.”
source: people.com
