EXCLUSIVE: It is not known whether Queen Elizabeth II reached out to her grandson and wife after the bomb that told Oprah Winfrey everything, but a real expert suspects that their conversation will be far from pleasant.
“The queen is a strong woman who understands the importance of duty and service,” Nick Bullen told Fox News. “She also never, ever exposed dirty clothes in public. And I think that any conversation that happens, now or about to happen, will be a very strange conversation because the way Harry and Meghan behaved is totally strange to the queen.”
Bullen is co-founder and editor-in-chief of True Royalty TV. The award-winning documentary filmmaker has been doing programs on the royal family for nearly 20 years and has worked closely with Harry’s father, Prince Charles, for eight years.
Thirty-six hours after the televised interview of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex with Winfrey, 67, Buckingham Palace released a 60-word statement on behalf of Elizabeth, 94.
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This image provided by Harpo Productions shows Prince Harry, from the left, and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, talking to Oprah Winfrey.
(AP)
“The whole family is sad to hear how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan,” said a statement sent to Fox News on Tuesday.
“The issues raised, particularly those of race, are of concern,” the statement continued. “Although some memories may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be taken care of by the family in particular. Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be very dear members of the family.”
Representatives of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex made no comment when contacted by Fox News. Buckingham Palace also did not immediately respond to Fox News when asked if the queen had plans to hold a meeting with the couple.
According to Bullen, palace aides wanted to make a statement much earlier to crush the media spectacle that came from the explosive revelation. However, it was Elizabeth who supposedly waited to release the statement because she wanted to be sure that the right words would be shared with the world.
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Buckingham Palace issued a statement on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II (left) 36 hours after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey.
(AP)
“I found the Queen’s statement totally brilliant and typical of the Queen,” said Bullen. “It was short, direct and completely clear. Although the memories vary, she wanted the world to know that Harry, Meghan and Archie are still loved. But I think the phrase ‘some memories may vary’ is the most telling. Because we only heard one side of the story so far. “
“How is the royal family doing today? I think they are probably heartbroken by the Sussex performance, along with what they said and did,” continued Bullen. “I think they are probably discouraged to learn that Sussex were mistreated not only by family members, but also by Company employees. And I think they will be angry, especially at Harry for speaking for his father and brother, saying that your father and brother are imprisoned in this institution. “
Bullen said that although Buckingham Palace has already responded to the allegations made in the interview, he suspects that emotions are still high among family members.
“I think there are a lot of emotions about how they feel as a family,” he explained. “If one of your family members goes on television and exposes dirty clothes, there is no doubt that you will be angry. It is also very damaging to the Windsor brand. It would be very damaging to any business.”
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American actress Meghan Markle became Duchess of Sussex when she married Prince Harry of Britain in May 2018.
(AP)
“What is especially shocking is the fact that William, Kate and Harry created a foundation based purely on mental health called Heads Together,” he shared. “How can William and Kate be seen to run this charity effectively when their sister-in-law claimed that she wanted to kill herself and both the family and the palace did nothing about it?”
Markle, who is biracial, told Winfrey, 67, on Sunday that she was so isolated and miserable as a hardworking member of the royal family that she had thoughts of suicide. The Duchess of Sussex, 39, also said that Prince Harry, 36, told her that a member of the royal family had expressed “concern” about the color of her baby’s skin before the birth of her son, Archie.
Later, off camera, Harry clarified to Winfrey that his grandparents, the queen and her husband, Prince Philip, were not the ones who questioned Archie’s skin tone.
Harry told Winfrey that the royal family cut him off in early 2020 after announcing plans to step aside from his roles. But he was able to guarantee the safety of his family because of the money his late mother, Princess Diana, left behind.
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Prince Harry said he was able to guarantee the safety of his family because of the money his late mother, Princess Diana, left behind.
(AP Photo / Jim Bourdier)
He said his relationship with Charles was affected. He even noted that the 72-year-old man had stopped answering his calls.
“There is a lot to work out there,” said Harry of his relationship with his father. “I feel very disappointed. He went through something similar. He knows what pain is. And Archie is his grandson. I will always love him, but a lot of hurt has happened.”
Harry also acknowledged that he does not have a close relationship with his brother William, 38, who is heir to the throne after Charles. He contested rumors that he intentionally surprised the queen with his decision to separate. He suspected that the rumors came from the institution.
“I never surprised my grandmother,” said Harry. “I have a lot of respect for her.”
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Meghan Markle spoke favorably to Oprah Winfrey about Queen Elizabeth II.
(Getty Images)
Bullen said it will take some time for the palace to recover from the interview, which was seen by almost 50 million people worldwide.
“Oprah’s interview was the most explosive real interview of my life,” he said. “I think it’s definitely bigger than Princess Diana’s Panorama interview 25, 26 years ago. In that interview, Diana really set her sights on the Prince of Wales and Camilla Parker Bowles.
“But in this interview, Harry and Meghan aimed at everyone. And as much as they said that they were not implicating the queen in any of this, it is not true because she is the head of the institution. They continued to call her ‘The Firm’ and she is the CEO of The Firm. What does that say about her? “
After Harry and Markle were married in May 2018 at Windsor Castle, the royal family seemed to welcome the Duchess of Sussex. The pair was seen as a new youthful face for the monarchy of an increasingly multicultural nation.
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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex currently reside in California with their son Archie.
(AP)
It didn’t take long for the fairy tale to unravel.
The couple moved away from royal duties last year and settled in California, saying they wanted to escape racist coverage and unwanted intrusions into their privacy by the British media.
During the interview, the duke and duchess shared that they are expecting a girl this summer.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.