HONOURS including the OBE, MBE, CBE and knighthood are given to recognise the amazing achievements and service of individuals in the UK.
Here’s everything you need to know about the honours and how to distinguish between them.
What’s the difference between GBE, DBE, KBE, CBE, OBE and MBE?
The honours system rewards people with Honours, Decorations and Medals as a public recognition of their merit, service or bravery.
Throughout history, monarchs have rewarded those who have shown significant service, loyalty or gallantry with titles or gifts.
The best-known awards represent different ranks in the Order of the British Empire.
Today, this Order rewards people from all walks of life with well-known honours, but it was started in 1917 by King George V, to reward outstanding contributions to the war effort.
They include (in order of precedence):
Dame or Knight of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (GBE, DBE, KBE)
This honour is awarded to those who have made major contributions to any activity, in the Arts, Sciences, Charitable work or Public Service, usually at a national level.
Knighthoods and damehoods are traditionally presented with a touch of a sword by the King.
The highest rank of the Order of the British Empire is Knight Grand Cross or Dame Grand Cross (GBE).
The second highest grade is Knight Commander or Dame Commander (KBE or DBE).
Both of these ranks entitle their members to use the title of Sir for men and Dame for women before their forename.
Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE)
A CBE is awarded for those with a prominent but lesser role at a national level, or a leading role at a regional level.
You can also be awarded one for a distinguished, innovative contribution to any area.
Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)
An OBE is awarded for having a distinguished regional or county-wide role in any field through achievement or service to the community.
This includes people whose work has made them known nationally in their chosen area.
Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)
An MBE is given to people for an outstanding achievement or service to the community.
This should have a long-term, significant impact and stand out as an example to others.
British honour recipients are officially announced in the royal newspaper The Gazette.
Honours are largely awarded following the advice of the Cabinet Office, and anybody may make a recommendation if they know someone they believe to be worthy, but the individual must be actively involved in what they are being nominated for.
Can women be knighted?
Women are awarded a Damehood, rather than a knighthood.
A Knighthood or a Damehood is one of the highest honours a person in the UK can be awarded.
The title Dame, as an equivalent to Knight, was introduced in 1917.
The British honours system has several orders, mostly relating to the monarchy, military and colonial officials.
But King George V wanted to fill the gap by creating an order which would honour the thousands of people who had served in non-combat roles during the First World War.
The Government has considered changing the name to the Order of British Excellence, but in 2020 said that “empire” would not be replaced.
What does the Order of the British Empire entitle you to?
Being awarded a Royal Honour brings many benefits.
Anyone selected for an honour will be invited to attend an investiture ceremony at a royal residence where the King, or stand-ins Prince William, Princess Anne or Prince Edward, will give you the medal.
This ceremony typically takes place a few months after the birthday or New Year honours list is announced, but award recipients can start using their new title or letters after their name as soon as the awards are announced.
Has anyone ever refused an honour?
On a few occasions, recipients have rejected the honours for political or personal reasons.
Among this number is David Bowie, who turned down a CBE that was awarded to him in Queen Elizabeth‘s birthday honours list in 2000.
John Lennon is one of the few recipients to return his honour after having accepted it initially, sending back his MBE in 1969 in protest against Britain’s involvement in the Nigerian civil war.
Stephen Hawking also turned down his honour in the 1990s in protest of the Government’s cuts to science funding.
WHAT CAN PEOPLE GET HONOURS FOR?
Making a difference to their community or field of work
Enhancing Britain’s reputation
Long-term voluntary service
Innovation and entrepreneurship
Changing things, with an emphasis on achievement
Improving life for people less able to help themselves
Athena shares a middle name with her older sister and the late Queen Elizabeth II.
She weighed just 4lbs and 5oz when she was born, since she was born prematurely, but is “healthy”.
Announcing the birth, a post on the Royal Family’s social media said: “Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice and Mr Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi are delighted to announce the safe arrival of their daughter, Athena Elizabeth Rose Mapelli Mozzi, born on Wednesday, January 22, at 12:57pm.
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“The baby was born weighing 4 pounds and 5 ounces.
“The King and Queen, and other members of The Royal Family have all been informed and are delighted with the news.
“Princess Beatrice and Mr Mapelli Mozzi would like to thank all the staff at the hospital for their wonderful care.
“Her Royal Highness and her daughter are healthy and doing well, and the family are enjoying spending time together with Athena’s older siblings, Wolfie and Sienna.”
CAROLE and Michael Middleton shot to fame the moment their daughter Kate Middleton married Prince William.
As well as being the parents of the Princess of Wales, they also have two younger children – Pippa and James.
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Carole and Michael are Kate Middleton’s parents
Who is Carole Middleton?
Carole Middleton (nee Goldsmith) was born in London in 1955, to a relatively normal family and grew up in Southall.
She initially left school at 16, later returning and achieving four A-Levels.
Originally planning on being a teacher, she was unable to when her parents couldn’t put her through university.
She subsequently worked as a shop assistant for John Lewis, then as a secretary for British Airways.
She later transferred to ground crew.
By her marriage in 1980, she was working as a flight attendant.
Who is Michael Middleton?
Michael Middleton was born in 1949 to a wealthy family who already had some ties to aristocracy.
He attended to the prestigious Clifton College in Bristol.
He boarded at Brown’s House (like his father and grandfather before him).
The Clifton College archives record that Michael was a praepostor, the title for a college prefect.
He represented the school in rugby and tennis.
After attending the University of Surrey, he commenced studies to become a pilot before switching to ground control when he graduated from the company’s internal course.
How did Carole and Michael meet?
Michael met Carole when they were both working as ground crew.
They were married on 21 June 1980 at St James’s Parish Church in Dorney, Buckinghamshire, and later bought a Victorian house near Reading.
What do Michael and Carole Middleton do for a living?
In 1987 the Middletons launched their own business, Party Pieces, after Carole realised she could make some money from creating party bags.
After growing the firm into a multi-million-pound business, Party Pieces was badly hit by Covid restrictions and in April 2023, the company called in advisers at restructuring firm Interpath to try to raise fresh funds for the business.
However, the family decided to move on from the company and in May 2023 the business sold in a pre-package deal to the Essex-based entrepreneur James Sinclair.
What is Michael and Carole Middleton’s net worth?
Michael and Carole’s Party Pieces business meant that the couple turned themselves into self-made millionaires. At the time of Kate’s wedding to Prince William in 2011 the business was estimated to be worth £30million. However, as of 2024, it’s thought the couple have more than £54million between them.
How old are Michael and Carole Middleton?
Michael’s date of birth is June 23, 1949, and Carole was born on January 31, 1955. Michael turned 75 in June 2024, while Carole turned 69 in January 2024.
This means Michael is just one year younger than daughter Kate’s father-in-law King Charles, who was born on November 14, 1948. Charles’ wife, Queen Camilla, is a year older than her husband and turned 77 in July 2024.
Camilla’s date of birth is July 17, 1947.
Where do Michael and Carole Middleton live?
Since moving there in 2013, the Middletons have lived in a £5million mansion dubbed the Bucklebury Manor.
The grade-II listed Georgian property boasts seven bedrooms, five reception rooms – including a drawing room and library – and 18 acres of land complete with a tennis court and outdoor swimming pool.
Traditional log fireplaces, a kitchen with a large wooden dining table, and a conservatory with enormous floor-to-ceiling windows have previously been shown in rare pictures shared from inside the house.
Is Kate Middleton descended from royalty and do her family have royal titles?
The short answer is, no, Michael and Carol do not have any type of royal title, despite Michael being descended from the landed gentry. This is because they are not part of the Royal Family, though their daughter is to be future Queen of England.
Their daughter Kate married into the family which is why it is only her, her husband and her children that have royal titles.
She is, however, indirectly related to royalty on her father’s side.
The Middleton family is linked to a former prime minister, though. William Petty-FitzMaurice served as British Prime Minister for a year, from 1782 to 1783.
The link to the Middleton family is through Lady Bullock, Michael’s cousin.
Through his direct ancestor, Dame Anne Fairfax, Michael Middleton has several descents from King Edward III.
The name Inigo is of Spanish and Basque origin, and means “fiery”.
Kate Middleton’s down-to-earth school run look
Whilst we have previously seen stunning images of Kate dropping the children off at Lambrook School, it turns out, on a day-to-day basis, things are much less glossy than you may imagine.
A friend told the Daily Record: “There are no blow-dries – it’s always hair up in a ponytail.
“She’s either in her gym clothes, or a dress and sneakers, very little makeup, apologising as she’s late for the school run before dashing off.
“It’s the life of a working mum with three young children – just a different sort of day job to most.”
In fact, when George and Charlotte attended their previous school of St Thomas’ in South London, it was reported that parents barely gave Kate a second glance during drop off and pick ups.
One parent told the Daily Mail : “No one really gives Kate a second glance when she does the school drop-off.
“We have a Victoria’s Secret model doing the school run, too, and the dads are far more interested in her.”
PRINCESS Charlotte has won the hearts of royal fans around the globe thanks to her adorable personality and stylish looks.
The sassy and lovable youngster – now aged nine – may be the Prince and Princess of Wales’ only daughter, but she certainly holds her own around brothers.
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Princess Charlotte has captured the nation with her sweet appearancesCredit: Reuters
From nailing her own little royal wave to delighting fans with her funny sayings, Princess Charlotte often steals the show.
Both Charlotte and the Princess of Wales opted for ivory silk crepe Alexander McQueen dresses for the celebration that had a subtle nod to the United Kingdom in the embroidery.
Their stylish dresses included rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock motifs to symbolise the four nations; England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Royal watchers loved for this adorable snapCredit: Getty
Fans of the Royal Family were sent into swoon overdrive with Princess Charlotte’s adorable gesture towards her older brother Prince George on their first royal engagement in Cardiff.
The regal children were accompanied by their parents Prince William and Kate as they met with performers in a Platinum Jubilee concert at Cardiff Castle.
The royal family released a sweet photo of Princess Charlotte gently cradling a brightly-coloured butterfly, as she took part in the Big Butterfly Count in Norfolk.
Mum Kate shared the photos to encourage other families to take part too.
It was announced that after much speculation that Meghan would not have a maid of honour at her wedding, and just had her little bridesmaids and page boys.
A Kensington Palace spokesperson said at the time: “She has a very close-knit group of friends and did not want to choose one over the other.”
May 2, 2018
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Charlotte’s third birthday was marked with this sweet snapCredit: Handout – Getty
On Princess Charlotte’s third birthday, Kate snapped this adorable shot of her with younger brother Prince Louis.
The sweet tradition of introducing the latest member of the Royal Family started back in 1948 when the Queen and her husband Prince Philip presented a then-Prince Charles to the world.
How old is Princess Charlotte and when is her birthday?
According to reports, the Royal couple chose to settle in the residency so that the Princes and Princess can attend school there together, and aim to give their children the most normal upbringing they can.
At the time, it was a gift from the Queen, who had sole decision over who resided there.
Where is Adelaide Cottage in Windsor?
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Adelaide Cottage in 1892
The cottage is nestled in Home Park in Windsor, just a 10-minute walk from Windsor Castle.
Built in 1831, it featured parts of the Prince Regent’s Royal Lodge at the time, which was partly demolished and re-used for Princess Adelaide’s cottage.
It is part of the Crown Estate’s private 655-acre royal park.
The Grade II listed property underwent major renovations in 2015 and has been a grace-and-favour property since 1945.
A grace-and-favour property is a residence belonging to the monarch due to their position and can be gifted to others as part of an employment package or out of gratitude.
The outside of the property is picturesque, the master bedroom boasts a coved ceiling with gilded dolphins and rope ornament reused from the yacht Royal George.
It also has a slate roof, a marble Graeco-Egyptian fireplace and the south entrance is flanked by two diagonally set chimneys.
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How big is Adelaide Cottage?
The picturesque cottage has been described as perfect for a family of five.
That’s because it has four bedrooms – one for each of the children and the Royal couple.
The property also features two parts – the main Adelaide Cottage but also Adelaide Lodge.
Many Royal experts have described it as one of the most “aesthetically pleasing” residences that make up the royal estate.
The New York post reported that the property’s original porch is still untouched today.
The same can be said for the surrounding gardens.
However, naturally over the years, it’s acquired more modern features from a gravel driveway to a gatehouse.
Did Prince Harry and Meghan Markle live at Adelaide Cottage?
The Mail On Sunday reported that Harry and Meghan had been for a viewing to Adelaide Cottage and fallen head over heels with it.
However, this was never confirmed and they moved into Frogmore Cottage after their wedding.
He started building it in 1070 and it took 16 years to complete.
Over the years it has been the official residence of 40 monarchs and their families.
William the Conqueror chose to build the castle in that location because of its view of the Thames, as well as its closeness to the Saxton hunting ground.
Read more on Windsor Castle
Henry I was the first monarch to use Windsor Castle as his home in 1110.
His grandson Henry II liked the castle so much that he renovated it to make it sturdier.
She was from Bellevue Hill in East Sydney, and worked for a Double Bay architectural firm as an architect.
Jade was also a popular member of the Bronte Surf Club, which cancelled their Sunday Sips event.
The surf club said in a statement:”It is with profound sadness that we share the loss of member Jade Young.
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“On behalf of Bronte Surf Lifesaving Club, we extend our deepest condolences to the Mclaughlin family.
“Many club members will be affected by the loss of Jade and the impact of this senseless and tragic event will affect each of us differently over time.
”This is and will be a difficult time for the community, and we encourage you to seek support from family, friends, fellow club members or to speak to your GP to assist you in processing this tragedy.
“We are here to support the community, and our heartfelt condolences go out to everyone affected.”
What happened to Jade Young?
Jade Young had been stabbed by killer Joel Cauchi on Saturday April 13, 2024.
Five other people were killed during the attack, including four women between the age of 20 and 55 and a man in his 30s.
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According to Australian police, paramedics treated eleven people on the scene before they were taken to hospitals in Sydney.
Cauchi was shot dead after he refused to drop his weapon and tried to attack the attending police officer.
The palace released a statement at the time saying the Queen and her family were “delighted” by her arrival.
Read More on Royal Family
The statement read: “Isla Elizabeth is the second child for Peter and Autumn, the second grandchild for the Princess Royal and the second great-grandchild for the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.”
Although it has been speculated that Isla’s middle name is in honour of the Queen, it has never been officially confirmed.
As Isla has mostly grown up out of the public eye, information regarding her education has remained private.
A statement issued on their behalf at the time said: “After informing HM The Queen and members of both families last year, Peter and Autumn jointly agreed to separate.
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“They had reached the conclusion that this was the best course of action for their two children and ongoing friendship.
“The decision to divorce and share custody came about after many months of discussions and although sad, is an amicable one.
“The couple’s first priority will remain the continued well being and upbringing of their wonderful daughters Savannah and Isla.
“Both families were naturally sad at the announcement, but fully supportive of Peter and Autumn in the joint decision to co-parent their children.
“Both Peter and Autumn have remained in Gloucestershire to bring up their two children where they have been settled for a number of years.”
How is Isla Phillips related to King Charles?
Isla is the daughter of Peter Phillips, Princess Anne‘s son.
Anne is the sister of King Charles, therefore Peter is his nephew.
Balmoral Castle was mostly used by the Queen to gather her family together
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King Charles has opened up the castle to the publicCredit: Getty
Where is Balmoral Castle?
Balmoral Castle is a large estate house in Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, near the village of Crathie.
The vast property is situated 6.2 miles west of Ballater and 6.8 miles east of Braemar.
The estate and castle are privately owned by the Royal Family and are not the property of the Crown.
The existing house on site was found to be too small, so the royals purchased the estate in 1852.
Read More on The Royal Family
In its place, the construction of the current Balmoral Castle was commissioned.
William Smith of Aberdeen was the architect, although his designs were amended by Prince Albert.
Historic Scotland classified the castle as a category A listed building.
The new castle was completed in 1856, with the old castle demolished shortly thereafter.
Successive Royal Family members added to the Balmoral Estate, and it now covers an area of approximately 50,000 acres.
As well as the main castle, there are 150 other buildings on the estate, including Birkhall, the estate of King Charles, Craigowan Lodge, and several other cottages.
Balmoral is a working estate, including grouse moors, forestry, and farmland, as well as managed herds of deer, Highland cattle, and ponies.
Since 1987, an illustration of the castle has been featured on the reverse side of £100 notes issued by the Royal Bank of Scotland.
The crimson-coloured notes are the largest denomination of banknotes issued by The Royal Bank of Scotland and are still in production.
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Can the public visit Balmoral?
Yes, they can.
The castle gardens were first opened to the public in 1931.
Balmoral Castle is open to the public every day from April to July, while no members of the Royal Family are there.
Opening times are from 10am till 5pm, with the last recommended admissions at 4pm.
The ballroom is the only room within the castle that may be viewed by the public, the rest are the Queen’s private rooms.
It is also possible to book a short stay at several of the guest cottages on the grounds.
On April 10, 2024, it was announced that King Charles had broken royal tradition by offering tours of Balmoral Castle for the first time in history.
The tours will take place from July 1 to August 4, 2024.
They are expected to take visitors “on a historical journey through several of the beautiful rooms within Balmoral Castle,” according to the tour’s ticketing page.
Are the castle tour and afternoon tea tickets still available?
Tickets for guided tours are available to purchase via the official Balmoral Castle website.
It’s important to note that the tours are for adults only and are restricted to groups of 10 people.
The guided interior tours will only run between the 1st of July and the 4th of August.
There is also limited availability for tickets so be sure to get your tickets if you want a spot.
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The late Queen used the place of residence frequentlyCredit: PA:Press Association
How much does it cost to get into Balmoral Castle?
Guided tour tickets start from £100 per person and £150 if you want to add an afternoon tea.
However, if you’d rather go with general admission to the grounds, gardens and exhibitions, tickets cost £17.50 for adults and £9 for children, under 5s go free.
Who lives at Balmoral Castle?
Balmoral Castle, of all the royals’ properties, was referred to as the Queen’s favourite home where in summer, members of the Royal Family would meet and enjoy various activities together.
They range from fishing, hunting, picnicking and barbecuing while getting together with some of the royals which they might haven’t seen in a long time.
The late Queen had often been seen riding horses or driving her beloved Range Rover over the estate’s rugged terrain.
In 2022, Her Majesty arrived at Balmoral in July, after the Platinum Jubilee celebrations held in London.
PRINCE William and Kate Middleton’s love story has captivated the world, and the couple have been by each other’s side through both happiness and heartache.
The Princess of Wales revealed on March 22, 2024, she was undergoing treatement for cancer in a heartfelt video, saying it was a huge shock for her and her young family.
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Kate Middleton and Prince William tied the knot in April 2011Credit: AP:Associated Press
How old are Prince William and Kate Middleton?
Prince William was born on June 21, 1982, at St Mary’s Hospital in London and will celebrate his 42nd birthday in 2024.
He is two years older than his brother Prince Harry,
Following the Queen’s death became first in line to the throne.
While Kate and William were born in the same year, the Princess of Wales is five months and two days older than her husband.
The couple are based at Adelaide Cottage in Windsor having relocated there in the summer of 2022.
However, they also have a country home in Norfolk called Anmer Hall.
Kate is particularly fond of the rural getaway and as well as spending most of the school holidays there, she chooses to celebrate her birthday at the house every year.
The royal couple’s love story started when they first crossed paths in 2001, when they went to university together at St. Andrews.
The pair went on to become friends and it was more than a year before things turned romantic between them.
In October 2010, it was announced that Kate and William were engaged after a proposal in Kendal.
The loved-up Prince said at the time: “We had a little private time away together with some friends, and I just decided it was the right time, really.
“We’d been talking about marriage for a while, so it wasn’t a massively big surprise, but I took her up somewhere nice in Kenya.”
The official statement said: “official statement reading: “The Prince of Wales is delighted to announce the engagement of Prince William to Miss Catherine Middleton.
“The wedding will take place in the Spring or Summer of 2011, in London. Further details about the wedding day will be announced in due course.”
When were Prince William and Kate Middleton’s children born?
Wills and Kate announced in December 2012 that they were expecting their first child together.
On July 22, 2013, Kate was admitted to St Mary’s Hospital, where William himself was born, and emerged with a son – Prince George.
In September 2014, the royal couple announced that Kate was pregnant again, which resulted in the birth of Princess Charlotte at the same hospital on May 2, 2015.
On September 4, 2017, Kate and William revealed that they were expecting their third child.
On the morning of April 23, 2018, Kensington Palace tweeted that the Duchess was in labour and it was announced that she had delivered a baby boy at 11.01 am.
Henri Paul died after being in the same car crash that killed Princess DianaCredit: AP:Associated Press
Who was Henri Paul?
Henri Paul was a French chauffeur who was born in July 1956.
After growing up in Lorient, on the west coast of France, Henri joined the French Air Force.
He reached the rank of captain by the age of 29 and left the military shortly after.
He later pursued a career in security and served as Head of Security at the luxury Hotel Ritz in Paris.
Henri is reported to have had a reputation as a “macho action man” who loved being around celebrities and high-profile people as part of his role at the famous hotel.
An inquest into Princess Diana’s death heard that he had been privately treated for alcoholism but his family have denied he had a drinking problem.
How did he come to drive Princess Diana on the night she died?
Henri picked up Princess Diana and film producer Dodi from Le Bourget airport outside Paris on the morning of August 31, 1997.
On the fateful day in 1997 Henri, who is said to have been instructed to drive the hired black 1994 Mercedes-Benz to keep the Princess out of the media’s eye, took Diana on a shopping trip before finishing his shift.
He later agreed to return to the hotel and drive Dodi and Diana the short distance from the hotel to Dodi’s apartment near the Arc de Triomphe.
He was said to have been “over-excited” at the prospect of spending time with the princess.
Netflix film scenes for The Crown near the location of the tragic car crash that killed Princess Diana in 1997
There was a three-hour period between the end of Henri’s shift and his return to the hotel where nobody knows where he was.
Blood analysis results from his post-mortem suggest he spent the time drinking as he was found to be three-times over the French drink-drive limit.
A post-mortem also found traces of anti-depressants and anti-psychotic medicine in his system.
Evidence from a Ritz bar bill show he had two Ricards – a French aniseed spirit – while waiting for Diana and Dodi to leave the hotel.
How was he behaving in the lead-up to the crash?
An inquest into Diana’s death in 2008 found paparazzi photographers and Henri were to blame for her “unlawful killing”.
The inquest heard testimonies from bar staff working at the Ritz on the fateful night with one, Alain Willaumez, saying Henri was “drunk” and had been “walking like a clown” hours before the crash.
CCTV images from the Ritz do not show any evidence of drunken behaviour.
Security footage revealed at the inquest does show him appearing to wave at photographers just moments before Diana and Dodi left the hotel.
The court was told Paul had goaded waiting photographers, saying: “You won’t be able to catch up.”
The car was travelling around double the 30mph speed limit.
The accident happened because Henri Paul was taking alcohol and was driving the vehicle. That’s why the accident happened.
Princess Diana’s former bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones
What did police and the inquest jury believe about Henri Paul?
After 22 hours of deliberations, an inquest jury ruled Diana had been unlawfully killed as a result of Henri’s drinking driving and photographers chasing the vehicle.
Rees-Jones, the sole survivor of the crash, has said that he believes Henri’s drinking had been the cause of the accident.
“The accident happened because Henri Paul was taking alcohol and was driving the vehicle. That’s why the accident happened,” he said in 2007.
What do the driver’s family believe happened to him?
Henri’s father Jean told The Mirror in 2017 that he believes Diana was deliberately killed in a plot to stop her marrying a Muslim man.
Despite a string of official enquiries ruling Diana and Dodi died in a tragic accident, Jean insists they were victims of an establishment plot.
Jean also believes samples showing his son had alcohol in his system could have been tampered with after his death.
He said: “Diana was killed and my son was killed. I believe they were both murdered.
“My son was simply collateral damage of a plot to kill Diana and they killed him as well.”
He added: “Even inside Scotland Yard there are two sides… One believes there was a secret plot to kill Diana, the other believes it was a genuine accident.”
Everything you need to know about Princess Diana’s final years
In 1997, Princess Diana spent her summer in the south of France and Italy. During August, she visited Sarajevo, Bosnia, to highlight the fight against landmines.
By the end of the month, the Princess of Wales and Dodi Al-Fayed travelled to Paris together.
Her funeral was held on September 6, 1997. As her coffin made the journey from Kensington Palace to Westminister Abbey, Prince William and Prince Harry walked behind their late mother.
In an interview with Hello! magazine, the princess affectionally called him her “bonus son”, as she talked about helping to home-school him during lockdown.
She told the magazine: “I’ve felt very lucky to have had the chance to work with my bonus son over the course of the school closures.
“It was a huge learning curve for all of us.”
Who is Christopher Woolf Mapelli Mozzi biological mother?
She was engaged to Edoardo up until 2018 but decided to call it quits on their relationship.
Dara lives in London with her son, and previously explained that she would rather Wolfie is educated in the UK due to gun laws in the US.
Princess Beatrice gives birth to a baby girl as she welcomes first child with Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi
Opening up on social media, she said: “I’m glad my son doesn’t go to school in the USA. I can sleep at night knowing he won’t die at his desk tomorrow morning.”
Dara continued: “Not to get all political here, but I went to a sports store in the US to buy tennis shoes today and couldn’t help but notice this huge gun section – post Xmas sale.
“So I walked up to the man and said, ‘What do I need to buy a gun home? Do I need a licence?’ And he said, ‘No, you can buy one right now and either take it in two days or take a $50 two-hour ‘conceal and carry course’ and bring it home right now’.
“And I said, ‘OK, so no licence needed, medical records, history of felony?’ And he said, ‘Nope. You can keep it in your car or home, as you see fit.’ Literally anybody can buy the most dangerous weapon known to man.”
He is an English property developer and member of an high-class Italian family.
He is the founder and chief executive of property consultancy firm Banda Property, which finds and develops properties for wealthy clients.
In 2020, Beatrice and Edoardo got married in a private ceremony at the Royal Chapel of All Saints in Windsor Great Park after their original plans were changed due to the Covid pandemic.
Announcing the arrival of their daughter, The Palace said: “Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice and Mr Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi are delighted to announce the safe arrival of their daughter on Saturday 18th September 2021, at 23.42, at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London.
“The baby weighs 6 pounds and 2 ounces.
“The new baby’s grandparents and great-grandparents have all been informed and are delighted with the news.
“The family would like to thank all the staff at the hospital for their wonderful care.”
Does Christopher Woolf Mapelli Mozzi have a royal title?
Wolfie does not have a title, as he is not a member of the Royal Family.
Only children of the sovereign, children of the sons of the sovereign, and the oldest living son of the Prince of Wales are eligible to receive the HRH status and prince and princess titles.
This means that Wolfie is not entitle to a royal title.
As they grew up they remained close, with Margaret acting as a bridesmaid at the royal wedding of Queen Elizabeth II to the Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip in 1947.
Princess Margaret had three strokes between 1998 and 2001 and her later years of life were stricken by illness and disability.
She started smoking cigarettes in her late teens and continued to smoke heavily for a long time after.
In the 1970s, the princess had a nervous breakdown and was treated for depression. She also suffered from migraines, laryngitis and bronchitis.
On January 5, 1985, she had part of her left lung removed, a similar procedure her father endured over 30 years prior.
In 1991 she quit smoking, however, continued to be a heavy drinker.
In January 1993, Margaret spent some time in hospital being treated for pneumonia. She then suffered a mild stroke in February 1998 while away at her holiday home.
The stroke affected her mobility and her ability to swallow, as a result, she needed mobility aids to support her while moving.
The princess was hospitalised once more on January 10, 2001, after a further stroke.
By March 2001, the strokes had left her with loss of vision and paralysis on her left side.
In February 2002, it was announced that Margaret had suffered a stroke which was then followed by cardiac problems and she passed away soon after.
She died on February 9, 2002, after suffering her fourth stroke.
How did the late Queen react to Princess Margret’s death?
The late Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret shared a close bond throughout their lives until Margaret passed away in 2002.
At the time, Buckingham Palace said: “The Queen, with great sadness, has asked for the following announcement to be made immediately.
“Her beloved sister, Princess Margaret, died peacefully in her sleep this morning at 6.30 am, in The King Edward VII hospital.
“Her children, Lord Linley and Lady Sarah Chatto were at her side.”
During Margaret’s funeral, Queen Elizabeth openly cried, one of the rare occasions the monarch showed emotion in a public setting.
PRINCESS Diana’s bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones was the only person to survive the car crash that went down in history in 1997.
His life changed forever that day, but what else do we know about him?
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Trevor Rees-Jones was the sole survivor of the crash that killed Princess DianaCredit: AFP
Who is Trevor Rees-Jones?
Trevor Rees-Jones was born on March 3, 1968, in Rinteln, Germany.
He was the middle son of three boys born to British Army surgeon Colin Rees and his wife Gill who was a nurse.
The family moved to Oswestry, a town close to the Welsh border when he was ten years old, where he attended the Fitzalan School and met his future wife Sue Jones.
Trevor enrolled in the Combined Cadet Force at school and after his A-levels joined the 1st Battalion Parachute Regiment, serving one tour in Northern Ireland.
While working for Mohamed al-Fayed, he started doing security for his playboy son Dodi, and later his girlfriend Princess Diana.
He accompanied them on a holiday in the summer of 1997, when the tragic car crash took place.
The bodyguard later shut down claims by his former boss that Dodi and Diana had chosen an engagement ring together in Monte Carlo a week before they died in Paris.
They intended to stay at the Ritz hotel owned by Dodi’s father, but found themselves ambushed by paparazzi.
Ritz head of security Henri Paul hatched a plan to leave by the back door to dodge photographers and drive to Dodi’s apartment near the Champs Elysées.
Trevor also suffered profound memory loss, and struggles to remember many details from the crash. An investigation found none of the four people in the car were wearing seat belts.
Tests showed the driver was three times the drink-drive limit.
Trevor is now reportedly working as the global head of security for vaccine giant AstraZeneca. A source told The Sun: “His life is quiet and uneventful now. He certainly doesn’t court publicity or speak much about it. He’s tried to move on and get on with his life.”
The Mail tells how Trevor has rebuilt his life since the infamous crash.
His LinkedIn profile describes him as being based in Shrewsbury and having experience in international operations.
He was interviewed four times by French authorities but said he could not recall the incident.
He later claimed his boss had put “intense” pressure on him to remember details from the night his son was killed.
Trevor moved back to Shropshire where he was nursed back to health by mum Gill and step-dad Ernie. He worked for a time in a friend’s sports shop.
In 2000, he published a book called The Bodyguard’s Story: Diana, The Crash, And The Sole Survivor, which earned him a rumoured £1million.
But most of that is said to have been consumed up by legal fees after he was embroiled in a series of lawsuits with al-Fayed in England and France.
He had split from his first wife Sue months before the crash.
In 2003 he married second wife Ann Scott, a teacher.
Trevor recovered well enough to turn out for a local rugby team in North Wales and set up a business as a security consultant.
In 2008, he worked in war-torn Iraq before he was called to give evidence at the inquest, his face still deeply scarred more than a decade on.
He told the coroner he had vague memories of a motorbike alongside the vehicle, and a woman’s voice calling out “Dodi” but he was not sure if they were real memories.
In 1997, Princess Diana spent her summer in the south of France and Italy. During August, she visited Sarajevo, Bosnia, to highlight the fight against landmines.
By the end of the month, the Princess of Wales and Dodi Al-Fayed travelled to Paris together.
Her funeral was held on September 6, 1997. As her coffin made the journey from Kensington Palace to Westminister Abbey, Prince William and Prince Harry walked behind their late mother.
Trevor said in the inquest into Diana’s death that the last thing he remembered of the night was climbing into the car at the Ritz.
He said in an interview three years after the crash: “I’m the only person who can tell people for real, and I can’t remember.”
Speaking at the inquest, he explained Henri Paul’s plan to dodge the paparazzi by driving the Princess and Dodi in one of the hotel’s limos out the back.
He said “I wasn’t happy as it meant Dodi would be splitting the security officers, but I went along with it. “Initially, I had been told that Dodi and Diana would travel without security and I said this would not happen, that I would travel in the vehicle with them.”
Sandringham Palace is where the late Queen traditionally spent ChristmasCredit: sandringham1870/Instagram
Where is Sandringham Estate?
Located in Norfolk, Sandringham Estate was bought by as a country home for Edward VII, then Prince of Wales, and his soon-to-be wife, Alexandra of Denmark in 1862.
The Grade II-listed house was then passed down to the late Queen‘s father, George VI, in 1900, who passed it onto her.
To this day, the impressive property continues to be privately owned by the Royal Family.
None of the Royal Family live permanently at Sandringham Estate, but the property has historically been their preferred residence for Christmas and New Year,.
In 1957, Queen Elizabeth II gave her first televised Christmas message from the estate,.
This came 25 years after the first radio broadcast from the house, made by her grandfather, Edward VIII.
The Sandringham Estate covers 20,000 acres of land, and even boasts a sprawling country park.
According to the estate’s website, more than 200 people make their living from the estate, including gamekeepers, gardeners, farmers, as well as workers for Sandringham’s sawmill and its apple juice pressing plant.
The house is a Grade II listed building and the landscaped gardens, park and woodlands are on the National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.
Each monarch who has lived in Sandringham has developed the grounds to their taste and infused a bit of their personality.
On its website, it says: “A densely planted shrubbery with a shade woodland walk was instigated by Queen Elizabeth II in the late 1960s.”
Her Majesty brought a collection of Rhododendron, Camellia, and Magnolia trees from Windsor, another of her favourite residences.
They were planted in Sandringham in the hope that they would create “more interest, shelter, and privacy in the garden”.
After taking over the estate, King Charles has implemented several changes to the estate as well.
Meghan and Harry sat down for a ‘nothing off limits’ interview with Oprah WinfreyCredit: CBS
OPRAH: We can’t hug, everybody is double- masked and has face shields. You look lovely. Do you know if you’re having a boy or a girl?
Meghan: We do this time. I’ll wait for my husband to join us and we can share that with you.
Oprah: That would be really great. Before we get into to it, I just want to make clear to everybody that, even though we’re neighbours, I’m down the road, you’re up the road, we’re using a friend’s place. There has not been an agreement, you don’t know what I’m going to ask, there is no subject that’s off limits and you are not getting paid for this interview.
Meghan: All of that’s correct.
Oprah: I remember sitting in the chapel — thanks for inviting me, by the way. I so recall this sense of magic. I never experienced anything like it. When you came through that door, you seemed like you were floating down the aisle. Were you even inside your body at that time?
Meghan: I’ve thought about this a lot. It was like having an out-of- body experience I was very present for. The night before, I slept through the night entirely, which is a bit of a miracle, and then woke up and started listening to Going To The Chapel, to make it fun and light and remind ourselves this was our day. We were both aware in advance of that this wasn’t our day, this was the day planned for the world.
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The two-hour chat saw them lift the lid on the Royal Family and MegxitCredit: CBS
Oprah: Everybody who gets married knows you’re really marrying the family. But you weren’t just marrying a family, you were marrying a 1,200-year-old institution, you’re marrying the monarchy. What did you think it was going to be like?
Meghan: I would say I went into it naively because I didn’t grow up knowing much about the Royal Family. It wasn’t part of something that was part of conversation at home. It wasn’t something that we followed. My mum even said to me a couple of months ago, ‘Did Diana ever do an interview?’ Now I can say. ‘Yes, a very famous one’, but my mum doesn’t know that.
Oprah: But you were aware of the royals and, if you were going to marry into the royals, you’d do research about what that would mean?
Meghan: I didn’t do any research about what that would mean.
Oprah: You didn’t do any research?
Your Prince Harry and Meghan Markle questions answered
Meghan: No. I didn’t feel any need to, because everything I needed to know he was sharing with me. Everything we thought I needed to know, he was telling me.
Oprah: So, you didn’t have a conversation with yourself, or talk to your friends about what it would be like to marry a prince, who is Harry, who you had fallen in love with . . . you didn’t give it a lot of thought?
Meghan: No. We thought a lot about what we thought it might be. I didn’t fully understand what the job was: What does it mean to be a working royal? What do you do? What does that mean? He and I were very aligned on our cause- driven work, that was part of our initial connection. But there was no way to understand what the day-to- day was going to be like, and it’s so different because I didn’t romanticise any element of it. But I think, as Americans especially, what you do know about the royals is what you read in fairytales, and you think is what you know about the royals. It’s easy to have an image that is so far from reality, and that’s what was so tricky over those past few years, when the perception and the reality are two different things and you’re being judged on the perception but you’re living the reality of it. There’s a complete misalignment and there’s no way to explain that to people.
Oprah: With every family things get serious when you’re brought in to meet the grandmother or the mother. The grandmother is the matriarch and, in your situation it’s the Queen.
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Oprah promised the Sussexes had no prior knowledge of what they would be askedCredit: ITV
Meghan: She was one of the first people I met. The real Queen.
Oprah: What was that like? Were you worried about making the right impression?
Meghan: There wasn’t a huge formality the first time I met Her Majesty The Queen. We were going for lunch at Royal Lodge, which is where some other members of the family live, specifically Andrew and Fergie, and Eugenie and Beatrice would spend a lot of time there. Eugenie and I had known each other before I knew Harry, so that was comfortable and it turned out the Queen was finishing a church service in Windsor and so she was going to be at the house. Harry and I were in the car and he says, ‘OK, well my grandmother is there, you’re going to meet her’. (I said) ‘OK, great’. I loved my grandmother, I used to take care of my grandmother. (He said) ‘Do you know how to curtsey?’ ‘What?’ ‘Do you know how to curtsey?’ I thought genuinely that’s what happens outside, that was part of the fanfare. I didn’t think that’s what happens inside. I go, ‘But it’s your grandmother’. He goes, ‘It’s the Queen!’
Oprah: Wow!
Meghan: And that was really the first moment the penny dropped?
Oprah: Did you Google how to curtsey?
Meghan: No, we were in the car. Deeply, to show respect, I learned it very quickly right in front of the house. We practised and walked in.
Oprah: Harry practised?
Meghan: Yeah, and Fergie ran out and said, ‘Are you ready? Do you know how to curtsey? Oh, my goodness, you guys’. I practised very quickly and went in, and apparently, I did a very deep curtsey, and we just sat there and we chatted and it was lovely and easy and I think, thank God, I hadn’t known a lot about the family. Thank God, I hadn’t researched. I would have been so in my head about all of it.
Oprah: (What) you’re sharing with us is that you were no more nervous as a regular person who goes to meet somebody’s grandmother.
Meghan: I had confused the idea. I grew up in LA, you see celebrities all the time. This is not the same but it’s very easy, especially as an American, to go, ‘These are famous people’. This is a completely different ball game.
(Cut to them and Oprah at their house)
Oprah: What are you feeling here (their home)? What’s the word?
Meghan: Peace.
Oprah: Peace?
Meghan: Yeah.
(Oprah narrates) The day after our interview, I stopped over to Harry and Meghan’s new home.
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Meghan said her 2018 royal wedding ‘wasn’t our day, this was the day planned for the world’Credit: Getty
Meghan: Hi, Guy (dog).
Oprah: Hi, Guy.
Meghan: Yeah, Guy’s been — Guy’s been through everything with me.
Oprah: Yeah, from the beginning, from the very first date, yeah?
Meghan: If Guy, I mean, I had him in Canada. I got him from a kill shelter in Kentucky.
Oprah: Yeah?
(In Harry and Meghan’s hen coop)
Meghan: Hi, girls!
(Oprah narrates) We put on wellies to feed the hens Meghan and Harry recently rescued from a factory farm. ‘I love your little designer house here. Archie’s chick inn. Oh, how cute is that.’
Harry: She’s always wanted chickens.
Meghan: Well, you know, I just love rescuing.
Oprah: So, this is a part of your new life? What are you most excited about?
Meghan: Whoop! You’re OK . . .
Oprah: What are you most excited about in the new life? What are you most excited about? Here, chick, chick, chick, chick.
Meghan: I think just being able to live authentically.
Oprah: Mm-hmm.
Meghan: Right? Like this kind of stuff. It’s so, it’s so basic, but it’s really fulfilling. Just getting back down to basics. I was thinking about it — even at our wedding, you know, three days before our wedding, we got married . . .
Oprah: Ah!
Meghan: No one knows that. But we called the Archbishop, and we just said, ‘Look, this thing, this spectacle is for the world, but we want our union between us’. So, like, the vows that we have framed in our room are just the two of us in our backyard with the Archbishop of Canterbury, and that was the piece that . . .
Harry: Just the three of us.
Oprah: Really?
Harry: Just the three of us.
Meghan: Just the three of us.
(Back to Oprah)
Oprah: You know, the wedding was the most perfect picture, you know, anybody’s ever seen. But through that picture that we were all seeing, behind the scenes, obviously, there was a lot of drama going on. And soon after your marriage, the tabloids started offering stories that painted a not-so-flattering picture of you in your new world. There were rumours about you being ‘Hurricane Meghan’.
Meghan: I hadn’t heard that.
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She said she didn’t research the Royal Family before she married HarryCredit: AFP and licensors
Oprah: OK.
Oprah: So, there were rumours about you being Hurricane Meghan, for the departure of several high-profile palace staff members. And there was also a story — did you hear this one? — about you making Kate Middleton cry?
Meghan: This I heard about.
Oprah: You heard about that. OK.
Meghan: This was . . . that was . . . that was a turning point.
Oprah: That was a turning point?
Meghan: Yeah.
Kate made me cry days before wedding, but I got blamed… that was hard.
(Oprah narrates) Six months after Harry and Meghan’s wedding, headlines began to swirl about a rift between Meghan and her sister-in-law, the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton. It was reported that Meghan had left Kate “in tears” over the bride-to-be’s “strict demands” over flower-girl dresses.
Meghan: The narrative with Kate — which didn’t happen — was really, really difficult and something that . . . I think that’s when everything changed, really.
Oprah: You say the narrative with Kate, it didn’t happen. So, specifically, did you make Kate cry?
Meghan: No.
Oprah: So, where did that come from?
Meghan: (Sighs)
Oprah: Was there a situation where she might have cried? Or she could have cried?
Meghan: No, no. The reverse happened. And I don’t say that to be disparaging to anyone, because it was a really hard week of the wedding. And she was upset about something, but she owned it, and she apologised. And she brought me flowers and a note, apologising. And she did what I would do if I knew that I hurt someone, right, to just take accountability for it. What was shocking was . . . what was that, six, seven months after our wedding?
Oprah: Mm-hmm.
Meghan: That the reverse of that would be out in the world.
Oprah: The story came out six, seven months after it actually happened?
Meghan: Yeah.
Oprah: So, when you say . . .
Meghan: I would have never wanted that to come out about her ever, even though it had happened. I protected that from ever being out in the world.
Oprah: So, when you say the reverse happened, explain to us what you mean by that.
Meghan: A few days before the wedding, she was upset about something pertaining — yes, the issue was correct — about flower-girl dresses, and it made me cry, and it really hurt my feelings. And I thought, in the context of everything else that was going on in those days leading to the wedding, that it didn’t make sense to not be just doing whatever everyone else was doing, which was trying to be supportive, knowing what was going on with my dad and whatnot.
Oprah: This was a really big story at the time, that you made Kate cry. Now you’re saying you didn’t make Kate cry, Kate made you cry. So, we all want to know, what would make you cry? What . . . what were you going through? You were going through all of the anxiety that brides go through putting their wedding together and going through all of the issues with your father: Was he coming? Was he not coming?
Meghan: Mmm.
Oprah: And there was a confrontation over the . . . the dresses?
Meghan: It wasn’t a confrontation, and I actually don’t think it’s fair to her to get into the details of that, because she apologised.
Oprah: OK.
Meghan: And I’ve forgiven her.
Oprah: Mm-hmm.
Meghan: What was hard to get over was being blamed for something that not only I didn’t do but that happened to me. And the people who were part of our wedding going to our comms team and saying, ‘I know this didn’t happen.’ I don’t have to tell them what actually happened.
Oprah: OK.
Meghan: But I can at least go on the record and say she didn’t make her cry. And they were all told the same . . .
Oprah: So, all the time the stories were out that you had made Kate cry . . . you knew all along, and people around you knew that that wasn’t true?
Meghan: Everyone in the institution knew it wasn’t true.
Oprah: So, why didn’t somebody just say that?
Meghan: That’s a good question.
Oprah: Hmm.
Meghan: I’m not sharing that piece about Kate in any way to be disparaging to her. I think it’s really important for people to understand the truth.
Oprah: Mm-hmm.
Meghan: But also I think, a lot of it, that was fed into by the media. And I would hope that she would have wanted that corrected, and maybe in the same way that the Palace wouldn’t let anybody else.
Oprah: Yeah.
Meghan: Negate it, they wouldn’t let her, because she’s a good person. And I think so much of what I have seen play out is this idea of polarity, where if you love me, you don’t have to hate her. And if you love her, you don’t need to hate me.
Oprah: Mm-hmm. You know, there were several stories that compared headlines written about you to those written about Kate.
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Meghan said the Queen was one of the first people she metCredit: Getty
Meghan: Mmm.
Oprah: Since you don’t read things, let me tell you what was said.
Meghan: OK.
Oprah: There were stories where Kate was being praised for holding her baby bump.
Meghan: Oh, gosh, have I done it since we’ve been sitting down?
Oprah: Yes, you’ve been doing it the whole time.
Meghan: Probably. OK.
Oprah: Kate was praised for cradling her baby bump, and the headline about you doing the same thing said, ‘Meghan can’t keep hands off her baby bump for pride or vanity’.
Meghan: What does it have to do with pride or vanity?
Oprah: Well, I’m just — I’m just telling you about the stories, OK?
Meghan: OK, I hear you.
Oprah: Then there was a whole online piece about this: ‘Kate eating avocados to help with morning sickness’.
Meghan: (Laughs) I heard — OK, I heard about the avocado one.
Oprah: But you were eating avocados . . .
Meghan: And fuelling murder, apparently.
Oprah: Wolfing down a fruit linked to water shortages, illegal deforestation and environmental devastation. There was, seems . . . there seems to be . . . there was a . . .
Meghan: That’s a really loaded piece of toast. (Laughter) I mean . . . you have to laugh at a certain point, because it’s just ridiculous.
Oprah: That’s good: ‘That’s a loaded piece of toast.’ It’s about deforestation and . . .
Meghan: Oh, man!
Oprah: Oh, wow! So, do you think there was a standard for Kate in general and a separate one for you? And if so, why?
Meghan: I don’t know why. I can see now what layers were at play. Oprah: Mm-hmm.
Meghan: And, again, they really seemed to want a narrative of a hero and a villain.
Oprah: Yeah. You came in as the first mixed-race person to marry into the family, and did that concern you in being able to fit in?
Meghan: Mmm.
Oprah: And did that concern you in being able to fit in? Did you think about that at all?
Meghan: I thought about it because they made me think about it.
Oprah: Mm-hmm.
Meghan: Right? But at the same time now, upon reflection, thank God all of those things were true. Thank God I had that life experience. Thank god I had known the value of working. My first job was when I was 13, at a frozen yoghurt shop called Humphrey Yogart.
Oprah: Mm-hmm.
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Meghan revealed Kate Middleton made her cry days before her weddingCredit: AP:Associated Press
Meghan: I’ve always worked. I’ve always valued independence. I’ve always been outspoken, especially about women’s rights. I mean, that’s the sad irony of the last four years . . . is I’ve advocated for so long for women to use their voice, and then I was silent.
Oprah: Were you silent? Or were you silenced?
Meghan: The latter.
Oprah: So, how does that work? Were you told by the comms people, or the, I don’t know, the institution? Were you told to keep silent? How were you told to handle tabloids or gossip? Were you . . . were you told to say nothing?
Meghan: Everyone from . . . everyone in my world was given very clear directive, from the moment the world knew Harry and I were dating, to always say, ‘No comment’. That’s my friends, my mom and dad.
Oprah: Mm-hmm.
Meghan: And we did.
Oprah: Mm-hmm.
Meghan: I did anything they told me to do — of course I did, because it was also through the lens of, ‘And we’ll protect you’. So, even as things started to roll out in the media that I didn’t see — but my friends would call me and say, ‘Meg, this is really bad’ — because I didn’t see it, I’d go, ‘Don’t worry. I’m being protected’.
Oprah: Mmm.
Meghan: I believed that. And I think that was . . . that was really hard to reconcile because it was only . . . it was only once we were married and everything started to really worsen that I came to under-stand that not only was I not being protected, but they were willing to lie to protect other members of the family but they weren’t willing to tell the truth to protect me and my husband.
Oprah: So, are you saying you did not feel supported by the powers that be, be that The Firm, the monar-chy, all of them?
Meghan: It’s hard for people to distinguish the two because there’s . . . it’s a family business, right?
Oprah: Mm-hmm.
Meghan: So, there’s the family, and then there’s the people that are running the institution. Those are two separate things. And it’s important to be able to compartmentalise that, because the Queen, for example, has always been wonderful to me. I mean, we had one of our first joint engagements together. She asked me to join her, and I . . .
Oprah: Was this on the train?
Meghan: Yeah, on the train.
Oprah: Yeah.
Meghan: We had breakfast together that morning, and she’d given me a beautiful gift, and I just really loved being in her company. And I remember we were in the car . . .
Oprah: Can you share what the gift was? Or . . .
Meghan: Yes. She gave me beautiful pearl earrings and a matching necklace. And we were in the car going between engagements, and she has a blanket that sits across her knees for warmth. And it was chilly, and she was like, ‘Meghan, come on’ and put it over my knees as well.
Oprah: Oh, nice.
Meghan: Right. Just moments of . . . and it made me think of my grand-mother, where she’s always been warm and inviting and . . . and really welcoming.
Oprah: So, OK, so she made you feel welcomed?
Meghan: Yes.
Oprah: Did you feel welcomed by everyone? It seemed like you and Kate . . . at the Wimbledon game where you were going to watch a friend play tennis . . .
Meghan: (Laughs)
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Meghan, pictured while pregnant in March 2019, said she was silenced when she started dating HarryCredit: Splash News
Oprah: Was it what it looked like? You are two sisters-in-law out there in the world, getting to know each other. Was she helping you, embracing you into the family, helping you adjust?
Meghan: I think everyone welcomed me.
Oprah: Mm-hmm.
Meghan: And, yeah, when you say, ‘Was it what it looked like?’, my under-standing and my experience of the past four years is it’s nothing like what it looks like. It’s nothing like what it looks like. And I . . . and I remember so often people within The Firm would say, ‘Well, you can’t do this because it’ll look like that. You can’t’. So, even, ‘Can I go and have lunch with my friends?’ ‘No, no, no, you’re oversaturated, you’re every-where, it would be best for you to not go out to lunch with your friends’. I go, ‘Well, I haven’t . . . I haven’t left the house in months’.
I mean, there was a day that one of the members of the family, she came over, and she said, ‘Why don’t you just lay low for a little while, because you are everywhere right now’. And I said, ‘I’ve left the house twice in four months. I’m everywhere, but I am nowhere’. And from that standpoint, I continued to say to people, ‘I know there’s an obsession with how things look, but has anyone talked about how it feels? Because right now, I could not feel lonelier’.
Oprah: Hmm. You were feeling lonely, even though your prince . . . you’re in love, you’re with him.
Meghan: I’m not lonely . . . I wasn’t lonely with him.
Oprah: Yeah.
Meghan: There were moments that he had to work or he had to go away, there’s moments in the middle of the night. And so, there was very little that I was allowed to do.
Oprah: Mm-hmm.
Meghan: And so, yeah, of course that breeds loneliness when you’ve come from such a full life or when you’ve come from freedom. I think the easiest way that now people can understand it is what we’ve all gone through in lockdown.
Oprah: Yeah, well, everybody can certainly relate now.
(Cuts to footage of interview with ITV’s Tom Bradby in South Africa in October, 2019)
Meghan: . . . asked if I’m OK, but it’s a very real thing to be going through behind the scenes.
Bradby: And the answer is, would it be fair to say, ‘Not really OK’, as in it’s really been a struggle?
Meghan: Yes.
(Back to Oprah)
Oprah: Well, I would have to say, in South Africa, when the reporter stopped and asked, ‘Are you OK . . ?’
Meghan: Mmm.
Oprah: And, whooo, we all felt that. Why did that question strike such a nerve? What was going on with you, internally at that time?
Meghan: That was the last day of the tour. You know, those tours are . . . I’m sure they have beautiful pictures and it looks vibrant, and all of that is true. It’s also really exhausting. So, I was fried, and I think it just hit me so hard because we were making it look like every-thing was fine. I can understand why people were really surprised to see that there was pain there.
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She said she was told she would be protected from the mediaCredit: Reuters
Oprah: Mm-hmm.
Meghan: Because we were doing our job. Our job was to be on and to smile. And so, when he asked me that, I guess I had felt that it had never occurred to anyone that I, that I wasn’t OK, and that I had really been suffering. And I had known for a long time and had been asking the institution for help for quite a long time.
Oprah: Help for what?
Meghan: After we had gotten back from our Australia tour — which was about a year before that — and we talked about when things really started to turn, when I knew we weren’t being protected. And it was during that part of my pregnancy, especially, that I started to understand what our continued reality was going to look like.
Oprah: What kind of protection did you want that you feel you didn’t receive?
Meghan: I mean, they would go on the record and negate the most ridiculous story for anyone, right? I’m talking about things that are super-artificial and inconsequential. But the narrative about, you know, making Kate cry, I think was the beginning of a real character assassination. And they knew it wasn’t true. And I thought, well, if they’re not going to kill things like that, then what are we going to do?
It had never occurred to anyone that I wasn’t OK…I was really suffering, and asked for help.
Meghan: Separate from that, and what was happening behind closed doors was, you know, we knew I was pregnant. We now know it’s Archie, and it was a boy. We didn’t know any of that at the time. We can just talk about it as Archie now. And that was when they were saying they didn’t want him to be a prince or a princess — not knowing what the gender would be, which would be different from protocol — and that he wasn’t going to receive security.
Oprah: What?
Meghan: It was really hard.
Oprah: What do you mean?
Meghan: He wasn’t going to receive security. This went on for the last few months of our pregnancy, where I’m going, ‘Hold on a second’.
Oprah: That your son — and Harry, Prince Harry’s son was not going to receive security?
Meghan: That’s right, I know.
Oprah: How . . . but how does that work?
Meghan: How does that work? It’s like, ‘No, no, no. Look, because if he’s not going to be a prince, it’s like, OK, well, he needs to be safe, so we’re not saying don’t make him a prince or a princess — whatever it’s going to be . . . ‘But if you’re saying the title is what’s going to affect their protec-tion, we haven’t created this monster machine around us in terms of clickbait and tabloid fodder. You’ve allowed that to happen, which means our son needs to be safe’.
Oprah: So, how do they explain to you that your son, the grandson, the great-grandson of the Queen . . .
Meghan: Mm-hmm.
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Meg shocked the world when she admitted she was struggling in an interview with ITV’s Tom BradbyCredit: ITV
Oprah: . . . is not going to have . . . he wasn’t going to be a prince? How did they tell you that? And what reasons did they give? And then say, ‘And so, therefore, you’re not . . . you don’t need protection’.
Meghan: There’s no explanation.
Oprah: Hmm.
Meghan: There’s no version. I mean, that’s the other piece of that . . .
Oprah: Who tells you that?
Meghan: I heard a lot of it through Harry and then other parts of it through conversations with . . .
Oprah: Mm-hmm.
Meghan: . . . family members. And it was a decision that they felt was appropriate. And I thought, well . . .
Oprah: Was the title . . . was him being called a prince, Archie being called a prince, was that important to you?
Meghan: If it meant he was going to be safe, then, of course. All the grandeur surrounding this stuff is an attachment that I don’t personally have, right? I’ve been a waitress, an actress, a princess, a duchess. I’ve always just still been Meghan, right? So, for me, I’m clear on who I am, independent of all that stuff. And the most important title I will ever have is Mom. I know that.
Meghan: But the idea of our son not being safe, and also the idea of the first member of colour in this family not being titled in the same way that other grandchildren would be . . . You know, the other piece of that conversation is, there’s a convention — I forget if it was George V or George VI convention — that when you’re the grandchild of the monarch, so when Harry’s dad becomes king, automatically Archie and our next baby would become prince or princess, or whatever they were going to be.
Oprah: So, for you, it’s about protection and safety, not so much as what the . . . what the title means to the world.
Meghan: That’s a huge piece of it, but, I mean, but . . .
Oprah: . . . and that having the title gives you the safety and protection?
Meghan: Yeah, but also it’s not their right to take it away.
Oprah: Yeah.
Meghan: Right? And so, I think even with that convention I’m talking about, while I was pregnant, they said they want to change the convention for Archie.
Oprah: Mmm.
Meghan: Well, why?
Oprah: Did you get an answer?
Meghan: No.
Oprah: You still don’t have an answer?
Meghan: No.
Oprah: You know, we had heard — the world, those of us out here reading the things or hearing the things — that it was you and Harry who didn’t want Archie to have a prince title. So, you’re telling me that is not true?
Meghan: No, and it’s not our decision to make, right?
Oprah: Mm-hmm.
Meghan: . . . even though I have a lot of clarity on what comes with the titles, good and bad — and from my experience, a lot of pain.
Oprah: Mm-hmm.
Meghan: I, again, wouldn’t wish pain on my child, but that is their birthright to then make a choice about.
Oprah: OK, so it feels to me like things started to change when you and Harry decided that you were not going to take the picture that had been a part of the tradition for years and . . .
Meghan: We weren’t asked to take a picture. That’s also part of the spin, that was really damaging. I thought, ‘Can you just tell them the truth? Can you say to the world you’re not giving him a title, and we want to keep him safe, and that if he’s not a prince, then it’s not part of the tradition? Just tell people, and then they’ll understand?’
Oprah: Mm-hmm.
Meghan: But they wouldn’t do that.
Oprah: But you were . . . you both, obviously, were aware that had been a part of the tradition? And there was a . . . was there a specific reason why you didn’t want to be a part of that tradition? I think many people interpreted that as you were both saying, ‘We’re going to do things our way. We’re going to do things a different way’.
Meghan: That’s not it at all. I mean, I think what was really hard . . . so, picture, now that you know what was going on behind the scenes, right? There was a lot of fear surrounding it. I was very scared of having to offer up our baby, knowing that they weren’t going to be kept safe.
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She said ‘I was fried, and I think it just hit me because we were making it look like everything was fine’Credit: BackGrid
Oprah: You certainly must have had some conversations with Harry about it and have your own suspicions as to why they didn’t want to make Archie a prince. What are . . . what are those thoughts? Why do you think that is? Do you think it’s because of his race?
Meghan: (Sighs)
Oprah: And I know that’s a loaded question, but . . .
Meghan: But I can give you an honest answer. In those months when I was pregnant, all around this same time . . . so 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.
Oprah: What?
Meghan: And . . .
Oprah: Who . . . who is having that conversation with you? What?
Meghan: So . . .
Oprah: There is a conversation . . . hold on. Hold up. Hold up. Stop right now.
Meghan: There were . . . there were several conversations about it.
Oprah: There’s a conversation with you . . ?
Meghan: With Harry.
Oprah: About how dark your baby is going to be?
Meghan: Potentially, and what that would mean or look like.
Oprah: Whoo. And you’re not going to tell me who had the conversation?
Meghan: I think that would be very damaging to them.
Oprah: OK. So, how . . . how does one have that meeting?
There were conversations …about no security, no title… and how dark his skin might be when he’s born.
Meghan: That was relayed to me from Harry. Those were conversations that family had with him. And I think . . .
Oprah: Whoa.
Meghan: It was really hard to be able to see those as compartmentalised conversations.
Oprah: Because they were concerned that if he were too brown, that that would be a problem? Are you saying that?
Meghan: I wasn’t able to follow up with why, but that — if that’s the assumption you’re making, I think that feels like a pretty safe one, which was really hard to understand, right? Especially when — look, I — the Commonwealth is a huge part of the monarchy, and I lived in Canada, which is a Commonwealth country, for seven years. But it wasn’t until Harry and I were together that we started to travel through the Commonwealth, I would say 60 per cent, 70 per cent of which is people of colour, right?
Oprah: Mm-hmm.
Meghan: And growing up as a woman of colour, as a little girl of colour, I know how important representation is. I know how you want to see someone who looks like you in certain positions.
Oprah: Obviously.
Meghan: Even Archie. Like, we read these books, and now he’s been — there’s one line in one that goes, ‘If you can see it, you can be it’. And he goes, ‘You can be it!’ And I think about that so often, especially in the context of these young girls, but even grown women and men who, when I would meet them in our time in the Commonwealth, how much it meant to them to be able to see someone who looks like them . . .
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Meghan and Harry, who introduced Archie in May 2019, said there were concerns about how dark their baby’s skin would beCredit: AFP
Oprah: Mmm.
Meghan: . . . in this position. And I could never understand how it wouldn’t be seen as an added benefit . . .
Oprah: Mm-hmm.
Meghan: . . . and a reflection of the world today. At all times, but especially right now, to go — ‘how inclusive is that, that you can see someone who looks like you in this family, much less one who’s born into it?’
(Oprah narrates) When Meghan joined the Royal Family in 2018, she became the target of unrelenting, pervasive attacks. Racist abuse online aimed at Meghan Markle. There were undeniable racist overtones. This stands apart from the kind of coverage we’ve seen of any other royal.
There was constant criticism, blatant sexist and racist remarks by British tabloids and internet trolls. We have seen the racism towards her play out in real time. Referring to her as ‘straight outta Compton’. The daily onslaught of vitriol and condemnation from the UK Press became overwhelming and, in Meghan’s words, ‘almost unsurvivable’. (Back to Oprah)
Oprah: You’d said in a podcast that it became ‘almost unsurvivable’, and that struck me, because it sounds like you were in some kind of mental trouble. What was actually going on? ‘Almost unsurvivable’ sounds like there was a breaking point.
Meghan: Yeah, there was. I just didn’t see a solution. I would sit up at night, and I was just, like, I don’t understand how all of this is being churned out. And, again, I wasn’t seeing it, but it’s almost worse when you feel it through the expression of my mom or my friends, or them calling me crying, just, like, ‘Meg, they’re not protecting you’. And I realised that it was all happening just because I was breathing.
Oprah: Mmm.
Meghan: And, look, 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. And I . . . I just didn’t . . . I just didn’t want to be alive any more. And that was a very clear and real and frightening constant thought. And I remember — I remember how he just cradled me. And I was — 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. And I called . . .
Oprah: So the institution is never a person. Or is it a series of people?
Meghan: No, it’s a person.
Oprah: It’s a person.
Meghan: It’s several people. But I went to one of the most senior people just to . . . to get help. And that — you know, I share this, because there’s so many people who are afraid to voice that they need help. And I know, personally, how hard it is to not just voice it, but when you voice it, to be told no.
Oprah: Whoo.
Meghan: And so, I went to human resources, and I said, ‘I just really — I need help’. Because in my old job, there was a union, and they would protect me. And I remember this conversation like it was yesterday, because they said, ‘My heart goes out to you, because I see how bad it is, but there’s nothing we can do to protect you because you’re not a paid employee of the institution’.
Oprah: Mmm.
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They refused to name who had ‘those conversations’Credit: PA:Press Association/PA Images
Meghan: This wasn’t a choice. This was emails and begging for help, saying very specifically, ‘I am concerned for my mental welfare’. And people going, ‘Oh, yes, yes, it’s disproportionately terrible what we see out there to anyone else’. But nothing was ever done, so we had to find a solution.
Oprah: Wow! ‘I don’t want to be alive any more,’ that’s . . .
Meghan: I thought it would have solved everything for everyone, right?
Oprah: So, were you thinking of harming yourself? Were you having suicidal thoughts?
Meghan: Yes. This was very, very clear.
Oprah: Wow.
Meghan: Very clear and very scary. And, you know, I didn’t know who to even turn to in that. And one of the people that I reached out to, who’s continued to be a friend and confidant, was one of my husband’s mom’s best friends, one of Diana’s best friends. Because it’s, like, who else could understand what’s . . .what it’s actually like on the inside?
Oprah: Did you ever think about going to a hospital? Or is that possible, that you can check yourself in some place?
Meghan: No, that’s what I was asking to do.
Oprah: Yeah.
Meghan: You can’t just do that. I couldn’t, you know, call an Uber to the palace.
Oprah: Yeah.
Meghan: You couldn’t just go. You couldn’t. I mean, you have to understand, as well, when I joined that family, that was the last time, until we came here, that I saw my passport, my driver’s licence, my keys. All that gets turned over. I didn’t see any of that any more.
Oprah: Well, the way you’re describing this, it . . . it’s like you were trapped and couldn’t get help, even though you’re on the verge of suicide. That’s what you are describing. That’s what I’m hearing.
Meghan: Yes.
Oprah: And that would be an accurate interpretation, yes?
Meghan: That’s the truth.
Oprah: That’s the truth.
Meghan: You know, and if you think about . . . it was one of the things that . . . it stills haunts me is this photograph that someone had sent me. We had to go to an official event. We had to go to this event at the Royal Albert Hall, and a friend said, ‘I know you don’t look at pictures, but, oh, my God, you guys look so great . . .’
Oprah: Yeah.
Meghan: . . . and sent it to me. And I zoomed in, and what I saw was the truth of what that moment was, because right before we had to leave for that, I had just had that conversation with Harry that morning, and it was the next day that I talked to the institution.
Oprah: You had the conversation ‘I don’t want to be alive any more’?
Meghan: Yeah.
Oprah: Whoo.
Meghan: No, and it was . . . it wasn’t even, ‘I don’t want to’.
Oprah: And then, you . . ?
Meghan: It was like, ‘These are the thoughts that I’m having in the middle of the night that are very clear . . .’
Oprah: Yes, clarification.
Meghan: ‘. . . and I’m scared, because this is very real. This isn’t some abstract idea. This is methodical, and this is not who I am’. But we had to go to this event, and I remember him saying, ‘I don’t think you can go’. And I said, ‘I can’t be left alone’.
Oprah: Because you were afraid of what you might do to yourself?
Meghan: And we went, and that . . .
Oprah: I’m so sorry to hear that.
Meghan: . . . and that picture, if you zoom in, what I see is how tightly his knuckles are gripped around mine. You can see the whites of our knuckles, because we are smiling and doing our job, but we’re both just trying to hold on. And every time that those lights went down in that Royal Box, I was just weeping, and he was gripping my hand.
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Pregnant Meghan was pictured at the Albert Hall in 2019 on the day she said she felt like taking her lifeCredit: PA:Press Association
Oprah: Wow.
Meghan: And then, it was, ‘OK, intermission’s coming, the lights are about to come on, everyone’s looking at us again’, and you have to just be on again.
Oprah: Yeah.
Meghan: And that’s, I think, so important for people to remember is you have no idea what’s going on for someone behind closed doors. You have no idea. Even the people that smile the biggest smiles and shine the brightest lights, it seems, to have compassion for what’s actually potentially going on.
Oprah: I know. The public is looking at you. And to think that you, earlier in the day, had said to Harry that you didn’t want to be alive any more.
Meghan: Yeah. And just hours before, just sitting on the . . . the steps in our cottage . . .
Oprah: Mmm.
Meghan: . . . just sitting there and then going, ‘ok, well, go upstairs and put your make-up bag in your sink and try to pull yourself together’.
Oprah: Nobody should have to go through that.
Meghan: And, you know, Harry and I are working on this mental health series for Apple, and we — yes, so — we, we, we hear a lot of these stories. Nobody should have to go through that. It takes so much courage to admit that you need help.
Oprah: Mm-hmm.
Meghan: It takes so much courage to voice that. And as I said, I was ashamed. I’m supposed to be stronger than that.
Oprah: Mm-hmm.
Meghan: I don’t want to put more on my husband’s shoulders. He’s carrying the weight of the world. I don’t want to bring that to him. I bring solutions. To admit that you need help, to admit how dark of a place you’re in.
Oprah: You’ve said some pretty shocking things here, revealing . . .
Meghan: I wasn’t planning to say anything shocking.
Oprah: OK.
Meghan: I’m just telling you what’s happened.
Oprah: OK.
Meghan: I’m sorry if it’s shocked you! It’s been a lot.
Oprah: I’m a little shocked.
Meghan: It’s been a lot.
Oprah: How do you feel about the palace hearing you speak your truth today? Are you afraid of a backlash or their reaction?
Meghan: I mean, I think I’m not going to live my life in fear. You know, I think so much of it is said with an understanding of just truth.
Oprah: Mm-hmm.
Meghan: But I think, to answer your question, I don’t know how they could expect that after all of this time, we would still just be silent if there is an active role that The Firm is playing in perpetuating falsehoods about us.
Oprah: Mmm.
Meghan: That at a certain point, you’re going to go, ‘But, you guys, someone just tell the truth’. And if that comes with risk of losing things, I mean, I’ve lost . . . there’s a lot that’s been lost already.
Oprah: Mmm.
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Now she is expecting her second child and says she knows life is worth living
Meghan: And I grieve a lot. I mean, I’ve lost my father. I lost a baby. I nearly lost my name. I mean, there’s the loss of identity. But I’m still standing, and my hope for people in the takeaway from this is to know that there’s another side.
Oprah: Mm-hmm.
Meghan: To know that life is worth living.
Oprah: OK. I’m so glad you see that now. We are going to take a break, y’all, and Harry’s going to join us.
Meghan: (Laughter)
(Ads and back to Oprah)
Oprah: So, hi.
Harry: Hello.
Oprah: Thanks for joining us.
Harry: Thanks for having me.
Oprah: You’ve been watching on the side, yeah?
Harry: Some of it.
Oprah: Yes. I want to say, first of all, let’s say congratulations . . .
Harry: Thank you.
Oprah: . . . for the new addition to your family. Meghan said she wanted to wait until you were here to tell us, is it a boy or is it a girl?
Meghan: You can tell her.
Harry: No, go for it.
Meghan: No, no.
Harry: It’s a girl.
Oprah: (Squeals)
Meghan: It’s a girl.
Harry: Yes!
Oprah: You’re going to have a daughter. Wow.
Meghan: It’s a girl.
Oprah: When you realised that and saw it on the ultrasound, what . . . what . . . what was your first thought?
Harry: Amazing. Just grateful, like any — to have any child, any one or any two would have been amazing. But to have a boy and then a girl, you know, what more can you ask for? But now, you know, now we — we’ve got our family. We’ve got, you know, the four of us and our two dogs, and it’s great.
Oprah: Done. Done? Two is it?
Harry: Done.
Meghan: Two is it.
Oprah: Two is it.
Meghan: Two is it.
Oprah: And when’s the baby due?
Meghan: In summertime.
Oprah: This summertime?
Meghan: Yeah.
Oprah: So, you all have been living in sunny California now for . . .
Meghan: Since March.
Oprah: Since March, OK.
(Oprah narrates) In late 2019, Prince Harry and Meghan left the UK And moved to Canada. The couple says they chose Canada, a commonwealth of Britain, with the intention of continuing to serve the Queen. After their move, Harry and Meghan say security normally provided by the Royal Family was cut off. By March 2020, just days before the Covid lockdown began, Meghan, Harry and Archie relocated to Los Angeles, where media mogul Tyler Perry offered them his home as a temporary refuge. He also provided security.
Three months later they bought their own home and settled in the Santa Barbara area. Last spring, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex created their own foundation and media content company called Archewell.
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In late 2019 Harry and Meghan left the UK and moved to CanadaCredit: BackGrid
Oprah: And so you stayed at Tyler Perry’s house for several months.
Harry: Three months, I believe.
Meghan: Yeah, because we didn’t have a plan. We needed . . . we needed a house and he offered security as well, so it gave us breathing room to try to figure out what we are going to do.
Harry: The biggest concern was that while we were in Canada, in someone else’s house, I then got told at short notice security was going to be removed. By this point, courtesy of the Daily Mail, the world knew exact . . . our exact location. So suddenly it dawned on me, ‘Hang on a second. The borders could be closed. We’re going to have our security removed. Who knows how long lockdown’s going to be? The world knows where we are. It’s not safe. It’s not secure’.
Meghan: Well, and also . . .
Harry: We probably need to get out of here.
Oprah: So, what security did you have at the time that was going to be removed?
Harry: We had our UK security.
Oprah: So you got word from overseas?
Harry: Yeah.
Oprah: That ‘we’re taking away your security’. Why were they doing that?
Harry: Their justification is a change in status, of which I pushed back and said, ‘Well, is there a change of threat or risk?’ And after many weeks of waiting, eventually I got the confirmation that no, the risk and threat hasn’t changed but due to our change of status, (by) which we would no longer be official working members of the Royal Family, they’re obviously . . . what we proposed was sort of part-time, or at least as much as we could do without being fully consumed because of, I think, what most of you guys have covered already.
Meghan: We actually didn’t talk about that. It’s been so spun in the wrong direction, as though we quit, we walked away, we . . . all the conversations of the two years before we finally announced it.
(Oprah narrates) In January 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan announced they would step back as senior members of the Royal Family. The swiftness with which they’ve taken this decision, only 18 months after they got married, has taken everyone by surprise, from the Queen all the way down.
The bombshell news sparked a worldwide media frenzy dubbed ‘Megxit’ by the British Press. Many reporters and viral posts blamed Meghan for the decision. In an official statement, Queen Elizabeth said: ‘Although we would have preferred them to remain full-time working members of the Royal Family, we respect and understand their wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family.’ (Back to Oprah)
Oprah: OK, let me ask the question.
Meghan: Yeah?
Oprah: So, over a year ago, you shocked the world. You announced you were stepping back as senior members of the Royal Family. And then the media reported that you had ‘blindsided’ the Queen, your grandmother. So here’s a time to set the record straight. What was the tipping point that made you decide you had to leave?
Harry: Yeah, it was desperate. I went to all the places which I thought I should go to, to ask for help. We both did.
Meghan: Mm-hmm.
Harry: Separately and together.
Oprah: So you left because you were asking for help and couldn’t get it?
Harry: Yeah, basically. But we never left.
Meghan: We never left the family and we only wanted to have the same type of role that exists, right? There’s senior members of the family and then there are non-senior members. And we said, specifically, ‘We’re stepping back from senior roles to be just like several . . .’ I mean, I can think of so many right now who are all . . . they’re royal highnesses, prince or princess, duke or duchess . . . who earn a living, live on palace grounds, can support the Queen if and when called upon. So we weren’t reinventing the wheel here. We were saying, ‘OK, if this isn’t working for everyone, we’re in a lot of pain, you can’t provide us with the help we need, we can just take a step back. We can do it in a Commonwealth country’. We suggested New Zealand, South Africa . . .
Harry: Take a breath.
Meghan: Canada.
Oprah: Yeah. And you wanted to take a breath from what specifically? Let’s be clear.
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By March 2020, just days before lockdown, the family had relocated to LACredit: The Mega Agency
Harry: From this . . . this constant barrage. My biggest concern was history repeating itself and I’ve said that before on numerous occasions, very publicly. And what I was seeing was history repeating itself. But more, perhaps. Or definitely far more dangerous because then you add race in and you add social media in. And when I’m talking about history repeating itself, I’m talking about my . . . my mother.
Harry: When you can see something happening in the same kind of way, anybody would ask for help, ask the system of which you are a part of — especially when you know there’s a relationship there — that they could help and share some truth or call . . . call the dogs off, whatever you want to call it. So to receive no help at all and to be told continuously, ‘This is how it is. This is just how it is. We’ve all been through it’ . . . and I think the biggest turning point for me was the . . . and it didn’t take very long. It was actually right at the beginning . . . was, OK, this union . . . us, me, being . . . having a girlfriend was going to be a thing. Of course it was. But I . . . I never expected, or I never thought . . .
Oprah: Because she was mixed race?
Harry: No, just . . . just the two of us to start with. I hadn’t really thought about the mixed-race piece because I thought, well . . . well, firstly, you know, I’ve spent many years doing the work and doing my own learning. But my upbringing in the system, of which I was brought up in and what I’ve been exposed to, it wasn’t . . . I wasn’t aware of it to start with. But, my god, it doesn’t take very long to suddenly become aware of it.
Oprah: Yeah, because you said you really weren’t aware of unconscious bias and all that that represents . . .
Harry: No.
Oprah: Until you met Meghan.
Harry: Yeah. You know, as sad as it is to say, it takes living in her shoes — in this instance, for a day, or those first eight days — to see where it was going to go and how far they were going to take it.
Oprah: And get away with it?
Harry: And get away with it and be so blatant about it. That’s the bit that shocked me. This is . . . we’re talking about the UK Press here, right? And this . . . the UK is my home. That is . . . that is where I was brought up. So yes, I’ve got my own relationship that goes back a long way with the media. I asked for calm from the British tabloids — once as a boyfriend, once as a husband and once as a father.
Oprah: So when I ask the question, ‘Why did you leave?’ the simplest answer is . . ?
Harry: Lack of support and lack of understanding.
Oprah: So, I want clarity. Was the move about getting away from the UK Press? Because the Press, as you know, is everywhere. Or was the move because you weren’t getting enough support from The Firm?
Harry: It was both.
Oprah: Both.
Harry: Yeah.
Oprah: Did you blindside the Queen?
Harry: No. I’ve never blindsided my grandmother. I have too much respect for her.
Oprah: So where did that story come from?
Harry: I hazard a guess that it probably could have come from within the institution.
Oprah: Mmm.
Meghan: So, I remember when you talked to her several times about this over . . .
Harry: Two years.
Meghan: Two years. But even the night before, days before, with the statement coming out, I remember that conversation.
Oprah: So, how do you know she wasn’t blindsided? Because the way it was presented through the Press is that suddenly you made this announcement. She didn’t know it was coming.
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Harry insisted the Queen wasn’t blindsided by MegxitCredit: AFP or licensors
Harry: No, I . . . when we were in Canada, I had three conversations with my grandmother and two conversations with my father and — before he stopped taking my calls — and he said, ‘Can you put this all in writing what your plan is?’
Oprah: Your father asked you to put it in writing.
Prince Harry: Yeah. He asked me to put it in writing and I put all the specifics in there, even the fact that we were planning on putting the announcement out on January 7.
Oprah: So you just said that your dad stopped taking your calls. Why did he stop taking your calls?
Harry: Because I took matters in . . . by that point, I took matters into my own hands. It was like, ‘I need to do this for my family. This is not a surprise to anybody. It’s really sad that it’s gotten to this point but I’ve got to do something for my own mental health, my wife’s and for Archie’s as well’. Because I could see where this was headed.
Meghan: To have sat back and not said that for so long, it just feels really . . .
Oprah: To have been silenced all this time.
Meghan: Yeah.
Harry: Been three and a half, four years. Or longer, actually.
Meghan: We were saying . . . gosh, it must have been years ago we were sitting in Nottingham (Nottingham Cottage, where Harry lived as a bachelor and when first married) . . . I was sitting in Nottingham Cottage and The Little Mermaid came on. Now, who watches . . . who as an adult really watches The Little Mermaid? But it came on and I was like, ‘Well, I’m just here all the time, so I may as well watch this’. And I went, ‘Oh, my god! She falls in love with the prince and because of that, she has to lose her voice’.
Oprah: Mmm.
Meghan: But by the end, she gets her voice back.
Oprah: Gets her voice back.
Meghan: Yeah.
Oprah: And this is what happened here? You feel like you got your voice back?
Meghan: Yeah.
Oprah: So, you . . . you’re stepping back out of frustration and you just need to get out. And, you know, you heard Meghan share with us all . . .
Harry: Mm-hmm.
Oprah: The moment that she came to you, had the courage enough to say out loud . . .
Harry: Mm-hmm.
My father said: Can you put your plan in writing? Then he stopped taking my calls. I’d taken matters into my own hands.
Oprah: ‘I don’t want to live any more.’
Harry: Mm-hmm.
Oprah: And you didn’t know what to do?
Harry: I had no idea what to do. I wasn’t . . . I wasn’t prepared for that. I went . . . I went to a very dark place as well. But I . . . I wanted to be there for her and . . .
Meghan: Also, we didn’t leave right that minute, right?
Harry: I was terrified.
Meghan: We still . . . that’s almost a year after.
Oprah: So then did you tell other people in the family, ‘I have to get help for her. We need help for her’?
Harry: No. That’s just not a conversation that would be had.
Oprah: Why?
Harry: I guess I was ashamed of admitting it to them.
Oprah: Oh.
Harry: And I don’t know whether . . . I don’t know whether they’ve had the same . . . whether they’ve had the same feelings or thoughts. I have no idea. And it’s a very trapping environment that a lot of them are stuck in.
Oprah: You were ashamed of admitting that Meghan needed help?
Harry: Yeah.
Oprah: Mmm.
Harry: I didn’t have anyone to turn to.
Oprah: Mm-hmm.
Harry: You know, we’ve got some very close friends that . . . that have been with us through this whole process but for the family, they very much have this mentality of, ‘This is just how it is. This is how it’s meant to be. You can’t change it. We’ve all been through it’.
Oprah: ‘We’ve all been through the pressure. We’ve all been through being exploited’?
Harry: Yes. But what was different for me was the race element, because now it wasn’t just about her, but it is about what she represents. And therefore it wasn’t just affecting my wife. It was affecting so many other people as well. And that’s . . . that was the trigger for me to really engage in those conversations with Palace . . . senior Palace staff and with my family to say, ‘Guys, this is not going to end well’.
Oprah: And when you say ‘end well’, what did you mean?
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He said he spoke to his father and grandmother multiple times before they broke the newsCredit: Getty
Harry: For anyone it’s not going to end well. Because the way that I saw it was there was a way of doing things but for us — for this union and the specifics around her race — there was an opportunity, many opportunities, for my family to show some public support.
Oprah: Mmm.
Harry: And I guess one of the most telling parts — and the saddest parts, I guess — was over 70 Members of Parliament, female Members of Parliament, both Conservative and Labour — came out and called out the . . . the colonial undertones of articles and headlines written about
Meghan. Yet no one from my family ever said anything over those three years. And that . . . that hurts. But I also am acutely aware of where my family stand and how scared they are of the tabloids turning on them.
Oprah: Turning on them for what? They’re the Royal Family.
Harry: Yes, but it’s . . . there is this invisible . . . what’s termed or referred to as the ‘invisible contract’ behind closed doors between the institution and the tabloids, the UK tabloids.
Oprah: How so?
Harry: Well, it is . . . to simplify it, it’s a case of if you . . . if you as a family member are willing to wine, dine and give full access to these reporters, then you will get better press.
Oprah: What do you care about better press if you’re royal?
Harry: I think everyone needs to have some compassion for . . . for them in that situation, right? There is a level of control by fear that has existed for generations. I mean, generations.
Oprah: But who’s controlling whom? It’s the institution. From our point of view, just the public. It’s . . .
Harry: Yeah but the institution survives based on that, on that perception. So actually, if you don’t . . .
Oprah: So you’re saying there’s this relationship that Meghan was speaking of . . . it’s like, symbiotic. One lives or thrives because the other exists.
Meghan: Mmm.
Oprah: That’s what you’re saying.
Harry: That’s the . . . that’s the idea.
Meghan: Well, see, I think there’s a reason that these tabloids have holiday parties at the Palace. They’re hosted by the Palace, the tabloids are. You know, there is a construct that’s at play there. And because from the beginning of our relationship, they were so attacking and inciting so much racism, really, it changed our . . . the risk level, because it went . . . it wasn’t just catty gossip. It was bringing out a part of people that was racist in how it was charged. And that changed the threat. That changed the level of death threats. That changed everything.
Oprah: So, tell me this: You said a moment ago, it hurts that your family has never acknowledged the role that racism played in here. Did you think she was well received in the beginning?
Harry: Yes. Far better than I expected. (Laughter) But, you know, my grandmother has been amazing throughout. You know, my father, my brother, Kate and . . . and all the rest of the family, they were, they were really welcoming. But it really changed after the Australia tour, after our South Pacific tour.
Meghan: That’s when we announced we were pregnant with Archie. That was our first tour.
Harry: But it was also . . . it was also the first time that the family got to see how incredible she is at the job. And that brought back memories.
Oprah: I’m thinking, because I watch The Crown OK? I watch The Crown. Do you all watch The Crown?
Meghan: (Laughs)
Harry:: I’ve watched some of it. You’ve watched some of it?
Meghan: I’ve watched some of it.
Oprah: But there’s this . . . I think it was the fourth season, actually, where there is an Australian tour. So, is that what you’re talking about? It brought back memories of that? The Australian tour.
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Harry said he was ‘trapped within the system’ until he met MeghanCredit: Getty
Harry: Yeah.
Oprah: Where your father and your mother went there, and your mother was bedazzling. So, are you saying that there were hints of jealousy?
Harry: Look, I just wish that we would all learn from the past. But to see the . . . to see how effortless it was for Meghan to come into the family so quickly in Australia and across New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga, and just be able to connect with people in such a . . .
Oprah: But . . .
Harry: I know, I know, I know, I know. But it’s . . .
Oprah: Why, I mean, why wouldn’t everybody love that? Isn’t that what you want? You want her to come into the family and to, as the Queen said at one point, the way that Meghan had basically, not her words, been assimilated into the family.
Harry: Yeah, I think, you know, as we talked about, she was very much welcomed into the family, not just by the family, but by the world.
Oprah: Yeah.
Harry: Certainly by the Commonwealth. I mean, here you have one of the greatest assets to the Commonwealth that the family could have ever wished for.
Oprah: I just can’t . . . I’m kind of going back to this. So, then, you’re in Canada because you had stepped back. Your Firm says you’re no longer going to have protection. So, did you ask for that? Because did you want . . . were you trying to have it both ways? You wanted to step back but also keep your foot in royal business, it seems.
Harry: It’s interesting that you talk about it being, you know, ‘Have it both ways’ on the . . . on the security element. I never thought that I would have my security removed, because I was born into this position. I inherited the risk. So that was a shock to me. That was what completely changed the whole plan.
Oprah: So, that you as Prince Harry are going to have your security removed.
Meghan: Yeah. And I even . . . and I even wrote letters to his family saying, ‘Please, it’s very clear the protection of me or Archie is not a priority. I accept that. That is fine. Please keep my husband safe. I see the death threats. I see the racist propaganda. Please keep him safe. Please don’t pull his security and announce to the world when he and we are most vulnerable’. And they said it’s just not possible.
Oprah: Mm-hmm. I think what we really have got to clear up here is because one of the stories that continues to live, either through rumours or social media, out in the world, is that you, Meghan, are the one who manipulated, calculated, and are responsible for this Megxit.
Meghan: Oh, my gosh. It’s amazing how they can use Meg for everything.
Oprah: Yes. There are even stories that you knew all along that this was going to happen. You went through the whole process, and it was all intentional to build your brand.
Meghan: Can you imagine how little sense that makes? I left my career, my life. I left everything because I love him, right? And our plan was to do this for ever.
Harry: Yes.
Meghan: Our plan . . . for me, I mean, I wrote letters to his family when I got there, saying, ‘I am dedicated to this. I’m here for you. Use me as you’d like’. There was no guidance, as well, right? There were certain things that you couldn’t do. But, you know, unlike what you see in the movies, there’s no class on how to . . . how to speak, how to cross your legs, how to be royal. There’s none of that training. That might exist for other members of the family. That was not something that was offered to me.
Oprah: So, nobody tells you anything?
Meghan: No.
Oprah: Nobody prepares you?
Meghan: Nobody even . . .
Harry: There’s . . .
Meghan: Sorry, but even down to, like, the National Anthem. No one thought to say, ‘Oh, you’re American. You’re not going to know that’. That’s me late at night, Googling how . . . what’s the National . . . I’ve got to learn this. I don’t want to embarrass them. I need to learn these 30 hymns for church. All of this is televised. We were doing the training behind the scenes, because I just wanted to make them proud.
Oprah: OK, but here’s the question: Do you think you would have left or ever stepped back were it not for Meghan?
Meghan: Hm.
Harry: No. The answer to your question is no.
Oprah: You would not have?
Harry: I wouldn’t have . . . I wouldn’t have been able to, because I myself was trapped as well. I didn’t see a way out.
Oprah: She felt trapped, you were trapped?
Harry: Yeah, I didn’t see a way out.
Oprah: But you’d this life, your whole life. This has been your life your whole life.
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He claimed William and Charles are also trapped but ‘they don’t get to leave’Credit: Instagram
Harry: Yeah, but, you know, I was trapped, but I didn’t know I was trapped.
Oprah: Mmm.
Harry: But the moment that I met Meg, and then our worlds sort of collided in the most amazing of ways, and then to see how . . .
Oprah: Please explain how you, Prince Harry, raised in a palace and a life of privilege — literally, a Prince . . . how you were trapped.
Harry: Trapped within the system, like the rest of my family are. My father and my brother, they are trapped. They don’t get to leave. And I have huge compassion for that.
Oprah: Well, OK, so the impression of the world — maybe it’s a false impression — is that, for all these years before Meghan, you were living your life as a royal, Prince Harry . . . the beloved Prince Harry and that you were enjoying that life. We didn’t get the impression that you were feeling trapped in that life.
Harry: Enjoying the life because there were photographs of me smiling while I was shaking hands and meeting people? Like, I’m sure you guys have covered some of that. That’s . . . that’s a part of the job. That’s a part of the role. That’s what’s expected. No matter who you are in the family, no matter what’s going on in your personal life, no matter what’s just happened, if the bikes roll up and the car rolls up, you’ve got to get dressed, you got to get in there. You wipe your tears away, shake off whatever you’re thinking about and you got to be on your A-game.
Oprah: Mm-hmm. What would you think your mum would say about this stepping back, this decision to step back from the Royal Family? How would she feel about this moment?
Harry: I think she would feel very angry with how this has panned out, and very sad. But, ultimately, she’d . . . all she’d . . . all she’d ever want is for us to be happy.
Oprah: You wanted freedom from . . . from that life? You wanted freedom to make your own money. You wanted freedom to make deals with Netflix and Spotify. But you also wanted to serve the Queen?
Harry: Yeah, we didn’t want to . . . we didn’t want to give up, or we didn’t want to turn our backs on the associations and the people that we . . . that we’ve been supporting.
Meghan: But also, Oprah, it exists.
Harry: Yeah, it exists. But, also, the Netflix and the Spotify, they’re all . . . that was never part of the plan.
Meghan: Yeah.
Oprah: Because you didn’t have a plan?
Meghan: We didn’t have a plan.
Harry: We didn’t have a plan. That was suggested by somebody else by the point of where my family literally cut me off financially, and I had to afford . . . afford security for us.
Oprah: Wait. Hold . . . hold up. Wait a minute. Your family cut you off?
Harry: Yeah, in the first half, the first quarter of 2020. But I’ve got what my mum left me, and, without that, we would not have been able to do this.
Oprah: OK.
Harry: So, you know, touching back on what you asked me, what my mum would think of this, I think she saw it coming. And I certainly felt her presence throughout this whole process. And, you know, for me, I’m . . . I’m just really relieved and happy to be sitting here talking to you with my wife by my side. Because I can’t begin to imagine what it must have been like for her going through this process by herself all those years ago, because it’s been unbelievably tough for the two of us, but at least we had each other.
Oprah: What’s your relationship like now with your family?
Harry: I’ve spoken more to my grandmother in the last year than I have done for many, many years.
Oprah: Do you all have Zoom calls?
Harry: We did a couple of Zoom calls with Archie.
Meghan: Sometimes, yes, so they can see Archie.
Oprah: Yeah.
Harry: My grandmother and I have a really good relationship . . .
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Harry said he thinks Diana would be angry ‘with how this has panned out’Credit: Getty
Oprah: Mm-hmm.
Harry: . . . And an understanding. And I have a deep respect for her. She’s my Colonel-In-Chief, right? She always will be.
Oprah: Your relationship with your father? Is he taking your calls now?
Harry: Yeah. Yeah, he is. There’s a lot to work through there, you know? I feel really let down, because he’s been through something similar. He knows what pain feels like, and this is . . . and Archie’s his grandson. And . . . but, at the same time, you know, I, of course I will always . . . I will always love him, but there’s a lot of hurt that’s happened. And . . . and I will continue to . . . to make it one of my priorities to try and heal that relationship. And, but they only know what they know, and that’s the thing. I’ve tried to . . .
Meghan: Or what they’re told.
Harry: Or what they’re told. And I’ve tried to educate them through the process that I have been educated.
Oprah: Because is it like being in a big royal bubble?
Harry: Yeah.
Oprah: Yeah. And your brother? Relationship? Much has been said about that.
Harry: Yeah, and much will continue to be said about that. You know, as I’ve said before, I love William to bits. He’s my brother. We’ve been through hell together. I mean, we have a shared experience. But we . . . you know, we’re on . . . we’re on different paths.
Oprah: Well, what is particularly striking is what Meghan shared with us earlier, is that no one wants to admit that there’s anything about race or that race has played a role in the trolling and the vitriol, and yet Meghan shared with us that there was a conversation with you about Archie’s skin tone.
Harry: Mm-hmm.
Oprah: What was that conversation?
Harry: That conversation I’m never going to share, but at the time . . . at the time, it was awkward. I was a bit shocked.
Oprah: Can you . . . can you tell us what the question was?
Harry: No. I don’t . . . I’m not comfortable with sharing that.
Oprah: OK.
Harry: But that was . . . that was right at the beginning, right?
Oprah: Like, what will the baby look like?
Harry: Yeah, what will the kids look like?
Oprah: What will the kids look like?
Harry: 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.
Oprah: So, in conclusion, if you’d had the support, you’d still be there?
Harry: Without question.
Meghan: Yeah.
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He said ‘I think she saw it coming, and I certainly felt her presence throughout this process’Credit: Getty
Harry: I’m sad that . . . that what’s happened has happened, but I know, and I’m comfortable in knowing, that we did everything that we could to make it work. And we did everything on the exit process the way that . . . the way that it should have been done.
Meghan: With as much respect.
Harry: With as much respect.
Meghan: And, oh, my God, we just did everything we could to . . . to protect them.
Oprah: So, what do you say to the people who say you came here, you made these multimillion-dollar deals and that you’re just money-grabbing royals?
Harry: First off, this was never the intention.
Oprah: Mm-hmm.
Meghan: Yeah.
Harry: And we’re certainly not complaining. We . . . our life is great now. We’ve got a beautiful house. We’ve got a beautiful . . . I’ve got a beautiful family. And the dogs . . . the dogs are really happy. But at the time, during Covid, the suggestion by a friend was, ‘What about streamers?’
Meghan: Yeah, we genuinely hadn’t thought about that before.
Harry: We hadn’t thought about it. So there were all sorts of different options. And, look, from my perspective, all I needed was enough money to be able to pay for security to keep my family safe.
Oprah: Mm. How will you use Archewell as a means of speaking to things that are important to you in the world?
Meghan: I think in creating . . . I mean, life is about storytelling, right? About the stories we tell ourselves, the stories we’re told, what we buy into. And . . . and for us to be able to have storytelling through a truthful lens, that hopefully is uplifting, is going to be great knowing how many people that can land with. And being able to give a voice to a lot of people that are under-represented and aren’t really heard.
Oprah: Any regrets?
Meghan: This morning, I woke up earlier than H and saw a note from someone on our team in the UK saying the Duke of Edinburgh had gone to the hospital.
Oprah: Yeah.
Meghan: But I just picked up the phone and I called the Queen just to check in.
Oprah: You check in?
Meghan: Just like, I would . . . you know . . . that’s what we do. It’s like, being able to default to not having to every moment go, ‘Is that appropriate?’
Oprah: Yeah.
Harry: For so many in my family, what they do is . . . there’s a level of control in it, right? Because they’re fearful of what the papers are going to say about them.
Oprah: Yeah.
Harry: Whereas with us, it was just, like, just be . . . just be yourself. Just be genuine. Just be authentic. Just go and do what it is. If you get it wrong, you get it wrong. If you get it right, you get it right.
(Oprah narrates) On February 19, 2021, Buckingham palace released a statement announcing it was agreed that Prince Harry and Meghan would not return as working members of the Royal Family. Harry and Meghan’s royal patronages and Prince Harry’s honorary military titles would be returned to the Queen. The Queen’s statement was released after our interview took place. (Back to Oprah)
Oprah: Your exit agreement with the Royal Family, it’s . . . that is coming up at the end of this month.
Harry: The decision is, I think. Yeah, I mean, the decision — what, as of last week, or whatever it was — is that they will be removing everything.
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The Sussexes said they have no regrets about stepping backCredit: AFP or licensors
Oprah: Are you hurt by that decision?
Harry: I am hurt. But at the same time I completely respect my grandmother’s decision. I would still love for us to be able to continue to support those associations, albeit without the title or the role.
Oprah: Could you be as satisfied now, doing this through your own organisation, Archewell?
Meghan: Well, we . . . this is what we’re doing, right? We’re still doing it. We’re still going to always do the work. But I also think it’s important for you or everyone to know this decision that was made about patronages and all of that was before anyone knew that we were sitting down with you.
Harry: Yeah.
Meghan: I think that it’s . . . I can only imagine . . .
Oprah: I heard a story that you’re getting punished now. Those were being taken away because you did sit down with me.
Meghan: Yeah, but that was . . . those letters, those conversations, that was . . . that was finalised before anyone even knew that we were going to sit down. So that’s just not true.
Oprah: All right, tell me this. Harry, what delights you now in your everyday experience and the things that you actually cherish in your life here with Archie and Meghan?
Harry: This year has been crazy for everybody. But to have outdoor space where I can go for walks with Archie, and we can go for walks as a family and with the dogs, and we can go on hikes — we’ll go down to the beach, which is so close — all of these things are just . . . I guess, the highlight for me is sticking him on the back of the bicycle in his little baby seat and taking him on these bike rides, which is something I was never able to do when I was young. I can see him on the back and he’s got his arms out and he’s like, ‘Whoo!’ chatting, chatting, chatting, going, ‘Palm tree! House!’ and all this sort of stuff. And I do . . . I think to myself . . .
In some ways it’s just the beginning. Greater than any fairytale you’ve ever read…
Oprah: What’s his new favourite word? What’s his favourite word now?
Meghan: Oh my gosh, he’s on a roll. In the past couple weeks it has been hydrate, which is just hysterical.
Harry: But also, whenever everyone leaves the house, he’s like, ‘Drive safe’.
Meghan: ‘Drive safe’.
(Oprah laughs)
Harry: Which is really . . .
Meghan: He’s not even two yet!
Oprah: You said that your brother was trapped. You said that you love your brother and always will love your brother. You didn’t tell me what the relationship is now, though.
Harry: The relationship is space at the moment. And, you know, time heals all things, hopefully.
Oprah: Any regrets?
Harry: No. I mean . . . no, I think we’ve done . . . I’m really proud of us, you know? I’m so proud of . . . I’m so proud of my wife. Like, she safely delivered Archie during a period of time which was so cruel and so mean. And every single day, I was coming back from work, from London, I was coming back to my wife crying while breastfeeding Archie. That’s coming from someone who wasn’t reading anything. And as she touched on earlier, if she had read anything, she wouldn’t be here now. So we did what we had to do — and now we’ve got another little one on the way.
Meghan: I have one. My regret is believing them when they said I would be protected. I believed that. And I regret believing that because I think, ‘had I really seen that that wasn’t happening, I would have been able to do more’. But I think I wasn’t supposed to see it. I wasn’t supposed to know. And . . . and now, because we’re actually on the other side, we’ve actually not just survived but are thriving. You know, this . . . I mean, this is miracles. I . . . yeah, I think that all of those things that I was hoping for have happened . . . and this is in some ways just the beginning for us. You know, we’ve been through a lot. It’s felt like a lifetime. (Laughs.) A lifetime.
Oprah: So, your story with the prince does have a happy ending?
Meghan: It does.
Harry: Yeah.
Meghan: Yeah. (Laughs.) It really did.
Oprah: It has a happy ending because you made it so.
Meghan: Yeah, greater than any fairytale you’ve ever read.
Oprah: Greater than any fairytale.
Meghan: Yeah, yeah.
Oprah: What you’ve described here today — being trapped and not even being aware of it and all the things that had transpired, and then she comes into your life and then you’re doing therapy — do you think in some way she saved you?
Harry: Yeah. Without question. There was . . . there was a bigger purpose. There was other forces at play, I think, throughout this whole process. I’m the last person to think, ‘Ooh!’ You know? But it’s undeniable when these things have happened, where the overlap is. So yeah, she did. Without question she saved me.
Meghan: And I would . . . I would . . . I mean, I think that’s lovely. I would disagree. I think he saved all of us, right? He ultimately called it and was like, ‘We’ve got to find a way for us, for Archie’. And you made a decision that saved . . . certainly saved my life and saved all of us. But, you know, you need to want to be saved.
Oprah: Well, thank you for sharing your love story. We can’t wait for the big day some time this summer.
Meghan: Yes, indeed.
Oprah: Sometime this summer.
Meghan: Yeah.
Oprah: Thank you both for trusting me to share your story.
Meghan: Thank you for giving us the space to do it.
Harry: Yeah, thank you.
Oprah: This conversation doesn’t end here. There was so much more that we couldn’t fit into this special.
Body language expert reveals the hidden messages in Harry and Meghan’s Oprah interview
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The late Queen’s youngest son recently extended the lease of Bagshot Park, for another 150 years, so it looks like they won’t be moving anytime soon.
The family has lived in the palatial dwelling since 1999, the same year that the royal couple tied the knot.
And thanks to a number of TV appearances over the years, royal fans have been able to get a sneak peek inside the stunning home and grounds.
The history
The Grade II-listed building has a whopping 120 rooms and boasts 51 acres of beautiful countryside.
The surrounding grounds sit within the Windsor Great Park – located around 30 miles from London – and they house a private lake.
There are also multiple stables, which is handy for Lady Louise, who not only loves horse-riding, like the late Queen, but also enjoys carriage-driving.
There are various different gardens, pathed walkways and an extensive driveway leading to the front of the house.
The home has belonged to the royal family for more than 200 years, and was originally built for King Charles I in 1609.
It initially stood as a series of small lodges, which were later demolished in 1877.
The house was then rebuilt in 1879 for Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn.
The grounds were leased to the youngest son of Queen Elizabeth in 1998 for 50 years, although he has since extended it, at a rumoured cost of £5million.
Sophie has often fondly spoken about the home she shares with her family.
In a previous interview, she praised how close their home was to Windsor Castle – a favoured home of the late Queen Elizabeth.
Speaking with SkyNews, she said: “We’re a lot more fortunate because we live so close to the Queen, so when she spends a lot of time at Windsor on the weekends, our children are more fortunate because they can go over and have tea with her on a regular basis.”
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Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh and Prince Edward at a Service of Thanksgiving for the life of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth IICredit: Rex
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Prince Edward, Lady Louise and James Viscount Severn at Queen Elizabeth’s Birthday ParadeCredit: Getty
On the inside
Like most royal couples, Edward and Sophie have kept the interior of their home private.
But thanks to numerous televised interviews in recent years, royal fans have been able to catch a glimpse inside the royal protperty.
In a recent conversation with Naga Munchetty for the BBC, Sophie welcomed the newsreader into one of their living rooms.
It had cream-panelled walls, a sage green carpet and a lavish marble fireplace. The room was also furnished with green striped chairs and polished wooden furniture.
In another conversation with the Thames Valley Air Ambulance during the Covid-19 pandemic, Sophie appeared to be sitting in the kitchen.
Behind her was a navy-blue cupboard with glass panels, revealing various china tea sets.
For another on home-schooling, Sophie sat ahead of intricately carved wooden doors.
Prince Edward has also helped add to the picture, revealing what may be his office or study, fitted with an expansive wooden bookcase.
A Private Space
Unfortunately, while some royal residences like Windsor Castle and Sandringham are open to the public, Bagshot Park is not.
However glimpses of the residence, entrance drive and lodge are visible from nearby roads.
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The expansive grounds are said to hold a private lake and multiple stablesCredit: Alamy
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The pair are clearly fond of a wooden design, with carved doors throughout their homeCredit: YouTube
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Prince Edward’s office has a vast bookcase and wooden featuresCredit: YouTube
While Kate and William were born in the same year, the Princess of Wales is five months and two days older than her husband.
The couple are based at Adelaide Cottage in Windsor having relocated there in the summer of 2022.
However, they also have a country home in Norfolk called Anmer Hall.
Kate is particularly fond of the rural getaway and as well as spending most of the school holidays there, she chooses to celebrate her birthday at the house every year.
The royal couple’s love story started when they first crossed paths in 2001, when they went to university together at St. Andrews.
The pair went on to become friends and it was more than a year before things turned romantic between them.
In October 2010, it was announced that Kate and William were engaged after a proposal in Kendal.
The loved-up Prince said at the time: “We had a little private time away together with some friends, and I just decided it was the right time, really.
“We’d been talking about marriage for a while, so it wasn’t a massively big surprise, but I took her up somewhere nice in Kenya.”
The official statement said: “official statement reading: “The Prince of Wales is delighted to announce the engagement of Prince William to Miss Catherine Middleton.
“The wedding will take place in the Spring or Summer of 2011, in London. Further details about the wedding day will be announced in due course.”
When were Prince William and Kate Middleton’s children born?
Wills and Kate announced in December 2012 that they were expecting their first child together.
On July 22, 2013, Kate was admitted to St Mary’s Hospital, where William himself was born, and emerged with a son – Prince George.
In September 2014, the royal couple announced that Kate was pregnant again, which resulted in the birth of Princess Charlotte at the same hospital on May 2, 2015.
On September 4, 2017, Kate and William revealed that they were expecting their third child.
On the morning of April 23, 2018, Kensington Palace tweeted that the Duchess was in labour and it was announced that she had delivered a baby boy at 11.01 am.
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established in 1917 by King George FifthCredit: Alamy
What is an OBE?
An OBE is a British honour awarded by the King.
The honour recognises extraordinary contributions to the country and the impact of the individual being awarded’s work, either locally or nationally.
An OBE is the second-highest ranking in the Order of the British Empire honours.
It ranks just after the CBE (Commander) and sits above the MBE (Member).
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The Orders of the British Empire were created by King George V during World War One in 1917 to honour the efforts of civilians and servicemen in non-combat roles.
The OBE does not bestow any special legal entitlement or power.
Recipients are, however, entitled to put the letters OBE after their name and enjoy the prestige and possible raised profile this brings.
Those awarded the honour are also entitled to attend an investiture ceremony within six months of receiving the honour.
Here they will formally receive their insignia from the King or another senior royal, such as Princess Anne or Prince William.
How do you address an OBE?
The OBE is known as a “post nominal” award.
This means it does not carry a title like Sir or Dame which should be used in front of the name.
This is reserved for those who are appointed Knights or Dames.
Those with an OBE should be addressed like any other person.
Can you nominate someone for an OBE?
Anyone can nominate anyone for an OBE by visiting the Cabinet Office website and filling in an application form.
Every nomination is different, but it’s important that you tell the story of what your candidate has done that is extraordinary should you wish them to be considered.
In your nomination, you must describe your candidate’s achievements, show what impact they had, demonstrate how they made a difference, describe what obstacles they have overcome and demonstrate how they have gone the extra mile.
People cannot nominates themselves and those filling out an application for nomination cannot choose what type of award a person is nominated for.
This will be determined during the selection process after the application is submitted to the Honours and Appointments Secretariat.
A special committee then decides who gets the honours and what type they will receive.
These decisions then go to the Prime Minister before the King has the final say.
Can non-British citizens get an OBE?
To receive an OBE, you must be a British national or a citizen of the Commonwealth countries.
There are 15 Commonwealth realms as of 2023.
These are Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, and the United Kingdom
The King may, however, grant an honorary award such as the OBE to foreign nationals.
These are nominated by the Foreign Office, which has responsibility for the Diplomatic Service and Overseas List.
