In 2021, the dominating revelation made by Meghan Markle and Prince Harry in their highly anticipated joint interview with Oprah Winfrey was that prior to the birth of their son, Prince Archie, “concerns and conversations” were raised about the potential color of his skin, by unnamed members of the royal family.
At the time, both Meghan and Harry refused to name the royal or royals who took part in the conversations, however, it was later clarified that it was not Queen Elizabeth II or her husband, Prince Philip.
In the wake of the interview’s broadcast, a wave of anti-racist backlash was directed at the monarchy, with Buckingham Palace issuing a rare statement describing the Sussex’s claims “particularly that of race” as “concerning.”
Prince William came out in the days afterwards, responding to a journalist’s question asking if the royal family were racist with the comment: “We are very much not a racist family.”
Joshua Sammer/Getty Images/HARPO Productions
In their Netflix docuseries and Harry’s book released after the interview with Winfrey, neither of the couple mentioned the skin color conversations or who it was who raised them.
In November 2023, the publication of a new royal book by Meghan and Harry biographer Omid Scobie, reopened the racism scandal when a Dutch translation appeared to name Charles and the Princess of Wales as having been part of the conversations.
Scobie told readers he knew the names after they had been included in a letter exchange between the king and Meghan. The Dutch copies were recalled and the names did not appear in the English version.
Scobie has said that he never included the names in any version of the book he produced, suggesting that there had been an error with the translation into Dutch. The translator later claimed that the names had been in the manuscript they received from the publishers to work from.
Buckingham Palace, Harry and Meghan have not commented on the book or the naming issue in the Dutch translation.
In interviews, Harry has maintained that he would never discuss the details of the incident in the public domain.
Here, Newsweek looks at everything Prince Harry has said on the record about not naming the royals involved in the “concerns and conversations” about his children’s skin color.
‘I’m Never Going to Share’
In March 2021, the “concerns and conversations” about the Sussex’s future children’s skin color were revealed by Meghan in her conversation with Winfrey.
During the interview, Harry was later asked about the conversations which Meghan said he had been party to.
“That conversation I’m never going to share,” he said, going on to add that “at the time, it was awkward.”
Prince Harry to Oprah Winfrey, March 2021
Winfrey: “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.”
Winfrey: “Can you tell us what the question was?”
Harry: “No. I don’t…I’m not comfortable with sharing that.”
Winfrey: “OK.”
Harry: “But that was…that was right at the beginning, right.”
Winfrey: “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.”
‘I Will Never Talk’
The Winfrey revelation and the anti-racism storm directed at the royal family as a result was raised in Harry’s interview with British broadcaster, Tom Bradby, at the time of the publication of his Spare memoir in January 2023.
When Bradby suggested that Harry and Meghan had “accused members of your family of racism,” Harry denied this, saying it had been twisted by the “British press.”
He added that he wouldn’t describe the comments as “racist,” but instead as an example of “unconscious bias.”
When it was suggested that he might name the royals involved in the comments, Harry said: “I will 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 [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.