The racially insensitive remark about Meghan Markle’s unborn child, made by an unidentified royal, was the most shocking revelation from her interview. However, two years later, it seems to have lost its impact.
The Lingering Mystery: Why Did Meghan Withhold the Name, and Who is the Unconfirmed Royal in Question?
Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, was questioned by Oprah Winfrey about her decision to withhold the name of the person who made the comment. She responded, “I think that would be very damaging to them.”
This statement ignited a prolonged speculation about the identity of the person responsible. Two and a half years later, a name accidentally surfaced in the Dutch version of Omid Scobie’s book, Endgame.
There is so much in this book that large sections of the press don’t want you to read, so it’s great to see new readers discovering #ENDGAME for themselves. I’m told there has been a big upsurge in e-book and audiobook sales this week, so thank you🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/GbqIpQLDUL
— Omid Scobie (@scobie) December 15, 2023
The name, which remains unconfirmed, was King Charles III. Interestingly, this revelation did not seem to harm him, as recent polls suggest.
Royal Popularity Amidst Controversy: Charles and Kate’s Surprising Rise Despite Allegations
Redfield & Wilton, on behalf of Newsweek, surveyed 1,500 Americans about their views on the royals, including Charles and Kate Middleton, who was mentioned in the Dutch version of Endgame as being present during the conversation.
Contrary to expectations of a drop in their popularity, both Charles and Kate were more liked by Americans on December 8 than they were in September before the names were published.
The King has visited the Royal Courts of Justice to celebrate the work of the judiciary and its commitment to the rule of law. pic.twitter.com/BFmuUw1rwN
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) December 14, 2023
Other royals, including Harry and Meghan, also saw a boost in their popularity. This suggests that the publication of the names did not have the impact Meghan initially predicted, rather than the public approving of, or agreeing with, the comment.
Fallout and Repercussions: Piers Morgan’s Job Loss and Other Consequences Post-Oprah Interview
However, the Oprah interview did have repercussions, as Piers Morgan lost his job after expressing disbelief in Meghan’s account of feeling suicidal, shortly after the interview was aired.
There are reasons why Meghan’s explosive revelations sent shockwaves through Britain, America, and the world in 2021, but seem to have lost their impact in 2023.
…and this is why I still like Piers Morgan. @PiersUncensored I salute you Sir. It’s about time the truth about Omid Scobie, Meghan Markle & Harry is spoken about openly. Their lies, venom, hypocrisy, evil words, actions & behaviour are now on display for ALL the world to see.… pic.twitter.com/fX0hv6RRY7
— 🎩Laird of the Manor🎩 (@LairdOfTheManor) December 17, 2023
The king and the Princess of Wales were linked to the scandal on November 28, and Newsweek’s polling took place more than a week later, on December 8.
Charles saw a significant 17-point increase in his popularity compared to a poll conducted by the same agency in September. He was liked by 32 percent and disliked by 15 percent, giving him a net approval rating of plus 17.
Interestingly, Charles was more popular among Gen Z (42 percent) than his own generation, with only 21 percent of those over 59 approving of him.
He also had more popularity among Democrats (39 percent) than Republicans (29 percent), based on the 2020 voting patterns of the respondents.
Kate also saw a five-point increase in her net rating from plus 33 to plus 38, with 47 percent of Americans expressing their liking for her compared to 9 percent who disliked her.
The monarchy’s reputation remains intact for several reasons. One simple explanation is that the identities have not been confirmed, leading some to doubt their accuracy. However, there’s more to it than that.
Eric Schiffer, chair of Reputation Management Consultants, recently told Newsweek, “[The naming] will not punch through unless they’re willing to put it in the U.S. version and the other versions. If they are, then yes, now there’s something that they can hold on to.”
The atmosphere in both Britain and America has significantly changed in 2023 compared to March 2021 when Meghan first made her allegation.
Back then, any criticism of the duchess was perceived as a denial of serious allegations relating to mental health and racism, two of the most sensitive issues in public discourse.
However, as time passed, the protective stance that America took towards Meghan began to wane. When Harry’s book, Spare, was published, complete with an account of getting frostbite on his private parts, it was met with ridicule.
Stand-up comedy routines and roasts on South Park and Family Guy, along with progressive activists, who are naturally hostile to the institution the couple criticized, were among those mocking Harry.
The most problematic issue was the way Harry blurred and confused the issues relating to the race-related allegation that dominated the public reaction to the Oprah interview, effectively neutralizing it.
The Unraveling of Meghan’s Allegation and the Question of Racial Discrimination
The circumstances surrounding Meghan’s allegation have always been shrouded in ambiguity. She provided her interpretation of the comment without revealing the exact words used.
In her conversation with Oprah, Meghan was asked about her thoughts on why Archie wasn’t given a prince title. “Do you think it’s because of his race?” Oprah probed.
Meghan responded, “In those months when I was pregnant… we have in tandem the conversation of ‘He won’t be given security, he’s not going to be given a title’ and also concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he’s born.”
When Oprah asked if Meghan meant “they were concerned that if he were too brown, that that would be a problem?” Meghan replied, “If that’s the assumption you’re making, I think that feels like a pretty safe one.”
Harry added more context by summarizing the question asked as: “What will the kids look like?”
However, the exact phrasing doesn’t clarify why Meghan believed the comment was driven by concern over a “too brown” family member being a “problem,” or whether it was a simple curiosity.
The situation became even more complex when Harry stated in January 2023 that they didn’t believe it to be an allegation of racism, but rather unconscious bias.
“No, I didn’t [accuse the royals of racism]. The British press said that. Did Meghan ever mention that they’re racist?” Harry said, adding, “The difference between racism and unconscious bias, the two things are different.”
This statement is problematic because racial discrimination is legally defined under the Equality Act in Britain, and Meghan’s account seems to fit that definition, regardless of whether it was conscious or unconscious.
A crucial aspect of Meghan’s account was not just the existence of a comment on skin tone, but also its connection to the discussions about denying her children prince or princess titles and police protection.
According to the U.K. regulator, the Equality and Human Rights Commission, “Race discrimination is when you are treated differently because of your race in one of the situations covered by the Equality Act. It doesn’t have to be intentional to be unlawful.”
While such laws might not be enforceable against royals as they don’t have employee status, the definition remains a useful tool for analyzing what constitutes race discrimination.
Meghan’s account of the concerns followed a direct question from Oprah about whether disagreements on titles and security were motivated by race.
The royal family’s role in Britain, in part, is to lead by example, showing other areas of society how to be and do good.
This brings us to the major issue with Harry’s statement that it was not racism in January 2023.
There are only two possibilities: if Meghan’s account of “concerns” that it might be a “problem” if her child’s skin were too dark are accurate and explain why there were discussions about police protection and titles, then that sounds like a clear case of what would be race discrimination in a normal business.
And Harry, therefore, risks asserting the right of out-of-touch white employees to use “unconscious bias” as an escape from allegations of discrimination. As the EHRC states: “It doesn’t have to be intentional to be unlawful.”
When viewed through the lens of U.K. equality law, Meghan and Harry seemingly cannot both be right.
The Royal Conundrum: Meghan’s Allegation and Its Aftermath
The mystery surrounding what truly transpired continues to linger. Queen Elizabeth II’s response to the Oprah interview was cryptic, stating “some recollections may vary.” Shortly after, Prince William asserted to journalists that the royals were “very much not a racist family.”
Initially, these statements were perceived as a counter to Meghan’s allegations. However, in an unexpected twist, Harry seems to concur, at least to the extent of stating it was not racism.
Meanwhile, the book Endgame reveals that Charles penned a letter to Meghan, clarifying that the remark bore no “ill will.”
In essence, Harry’s account appears to be more at odds with Meghan’s than with William’s or even the description of Charles’ letter in Scobie’s book.
Yet, we remain in the dark about the full context of the comment, the emotion with which it was delivered, the ambiance in the room, and the conversation that ensued.
Consequently, the public has little to hold onto, and Harry and Meghan have since indicated that they have moved on from projects that delve into the past, suggesting they too will not revisit it.
Thus, what was once the most explosive revelation, one that Meghan rightly predicted could be highly damaging, has now lost its spark.
However, the monarchy still faces a risk—it may not always be this way.
The public has a tendency to forget. For instance, only one line from Princess Diana’s explosive 1995 interview has stood the test of time: “There were three of us in this marriage so it was a bit crowded.”
Given its significance at the time, Meghan’s account of concern may also be the one line that gets remembered from this era of royal conflict.
And when future generations revisit it, just as they have with Diana’s story, they may well revert to the version Meghan presented and the atmosphere that prevailed in the days following the Oprah interview.
