Buckingham Palace breaks silence on Meghan and Harry's interview© WireImage

Buckingham Palace breaks silence on Meghan and Harry’s Oprah interview: Read Queen’s statement

The royal family is ‘saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years’ were for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex


UPDATED MARCH 9, 2021 7:18 PM EST

The day after  Meghan Markle  and  Prince Harry ’s interview with Oprah Winfrey aired in the UK, Buckingham Palace released a statement on behalf of  Queen Elizabeth . “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.

© Getty Images

Her Majesty released a statement in response to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s interview with Oprah Winfrey

“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,” the statement continues. “Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved family members.”

During their sit-down with Oprah, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex opened up about the British royal family. Meghan told the media mogul that there were “concerns and conversations about how dark” her and Harry’s baby’s skin might be before he was born. However, the Duchess did not identify which family member had the conversation with her husband.

“I think that would be very damaging to them,” she said. Harry later told Oprah, “That conversation I am never going to share, but at the time it was awkward and I was a bit shocked.” Though the Duke did end up telling Oprah that it was not his grandmother the Queen or his grandfather Prince Philip.

© CBS/YouTube

‘The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan,’ Buckingham Palace said

Meghan also revealed that she had suicidal thoughts. “I was really ashamed to say it at the time and ashamed to have to admit it to Harry, especially, because I know how much loss he’s suffered. But I knew that if I didn’t say it, that I would do it,” she shared. “I just didn’t want to be alive any more. And that was a very clear and real and frightening constant thought.”

The Duchess added, “I went to the institution, and I said that I needed to go somewhere to get help. I said that, ‘I’ve never felt this way before, and I need to go somewhere’. And I was told that I couldn’t, that it wouldn’t be good for the institution.”