“This was relayed to me by Harry. Those were the conversations the family had with him,” added Meghan, refusing to disclose who was involved in those conversations. “That would be very damaging to them,” she said.
The Duchess said the concerns were raised at the same time the couple was informed that Archie would have no security or an official title.
Harry was asked about the matter when he joined his wife for part of the TV special, which aired Sunday night on CBS and dominated the UK headlines on Monday morning.
“This conversation, I will never share,” said Harry. “It was strange at the time, I was a little shocked.”
When Winfrey asked if he could share the questions asked during the conversation, he declined, saying “I am not comfortable sharing this.”
“But it was right at the beginning,” he added. “What will the children be like? That was in the beginning, when she was not going to get security, when my family suggested that she continue acting (because there would be no money for her).”
In another part of the broadcast, Harry also criticized royalty for not supporting it when lawmakers pointed out “colonial tones” in the way Meghan was covered in the British press.
“For us, because of this union and the specifics surrounding your race, there was an opportunity – many opportunities – for my family to show some public support,” said Harry. The couple themselves have frequently criticized parts of the media for racist elements in their coverage.
“One of the most revealing and saddest parts, I think, was that more than 70 women members of Parliament, both conservative and labor, appeared and drew attention to the colonial tones of articles and headlines written about Meghan. However, no one from my family never said anything. It hurts, “said Harry to Winfrey.
“You have to live in her place, in this case, for a day or the first eight days to see where this would go and how far they would go, and get away with it,” he said of the British media coverage of the Duchess, adding that he was unaware of this element of the media until he met Meghan.
The interview will air on British TV on Monday night, but Meghan’s accusations of racism have already been heavily featured in UK headlines on Monday morning.
Asked about the allegations on Monday, UK Children’s Minister Vicky Ford said there was “no place” for racism.
“I haven’t seen the full interview, so I’m not going to comment on it, but just to reaffirm, there is absolutely no place for racism in our society. And we all need to work together to make sure that doesn’t happen.” Ford told British broadcaster Sky News on Monday.
The duo had talked about racism before, but had never made accusations at the institution itself.