Michelle Obama is sharing her thoughts on Oprah Winfrey’s explosive interview with Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, as someone who has experienced racism and is no stranger to the public eye.
The former first lady, 57, sat down with Jenna Bush Hager, TODAY, who asked Obama about the loneliness she said she sometimes felt at the White House. “I wonder, when you watched Meghan Markle speak the other night, what went through your mind?” Jenna said.
“Public service is a bright, sharp and important focus, and most people don’t understand, nor should they,” said Obama. “What I always have in mind is that none of this is about us in the public service. It’s about the people we serve.
“I always try to turn off the light and focus it on the people we are here to serve.”
Jenna went on to ask Obama about the racial issue. Meghan, who is somewhat black, told Winfrey that, before the birth of her son, Archie, there were “concerns and conversations” among members of the royal family about how dark their skin could be.
“I feel it was moving to hear, that she felt like she was in her own family – her own family thought differently from her,” said Jenna.
Obama replied: “As I said before, race is not a new construction in this world for people of color, so it was not a complete surprise to hear your feelings and have them articulated.
“I think what I hope, and what I think, is that this, first of all, is a family. I pray for forgiveness and healing for them, so that they can use it as a teaching moment for all of us.”
During his conversation with Jenna, Obama also spoke about his latest project, “Waffles and Mochi”, an educational program for children on Netflix, which is based on his passion for teaching young people about healthy eating.
“It’s my favorite project,” Obama told Jenna. “You have been following us and supporting a lot of the work that we have been doing, and I love it all, but this project closes the circle because it brings me back to children and nutrition.
“This is not just a children’s show. It is a family show, and that is what attracted me.”
In conjunction with the series, Obama has also partnered with Partnership for Healthier America for a new campaign, “Spend the love with Waffles and Mochi,” which will provide recipes and homemade activities, and is planning to raise funds to distribute 1 million meals to needy families across the country.
Watch Obama’s full interview with Jenna when it airs Tuesday morning TODAY.