Prince Harry and Meghan Markle‘s upcoming tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey on Sunday is reportedly sparking concern within the halls of Kensington Palace. As the royal couple prepare for their first sit-down interview, in which “no subject is off-limits,” Queen Elizabeth and Prince William are reportedly “furious” and “feel that by sharing [Harry and Meghan’s] side of the story, the entire royal family will be painted in an unfair way.”
That information comes from a source who spoke to Us Weekly just days ahead of the Sunday primetime special, which CBS has teased in a number of preview clips leading up to the anticipated event. Those previews have already teased drama, with Markle in one clip alleging the Palace had an “active role” in “perpetuating falsehoods” against herself and her husband. According to the outlet’s source, His Royal Highness and Her Majesty are “furious” about what might be revealed in the “wide-ranging” interview, which is being overshadowed by other drama going down in the royal family.
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On Tuesday, The Times published a report that brought forth bullying allegations against Markle. The report cited several royal aides who claimed a bullying complaint was made against the duchess in October 2019 by Jason Knauf, the couple’s communications secretary at the time. The sources claimed that Markle bullied staff “to the point of tears.” The palace soon released a statement saying their HR team would be looking into the claims, saying that the palace “will not tolerate bullying or harassment,” though many on social media and those close to Markle have suggested the allegations and the subsequent investigation may be an attempt from the Palace to stir up other headlines amid the interview. A statement from Markle’s lawyers seemed to suggest the same.
“It’s no coincidence that distorted several-year-old accusations aimed at undermining The Duchess are being briefed to the British media shortly before she and The Duke are due to speak openly and honestly about their experience of recent years,” their statement read, adding that the allegations are “being used by Buckingham Palace to peddle a wholly false narrative” before the interview.
The couple’s interview with Winfrey is set to air in both the U.S. and the U.K., where it will be preceded by a speech from the Queen. The current reigning monarch will be featured in a BBC television special with other members of the royal family including Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Charles, and Sophie, Countess of Wessex. Details of the speech are unclear, though it will air ahead of Commonwealth Day and will replace the annual Commonwealth Day service, which was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
