Meghan Markle today told Oprah Winfrey that Palace officials failed to protect her and ‘were willing to lie to protect other members of the Royal family.’
Harry and Meghan’s TV interview with Oprah Winfrey has started in the US and began with Meghan Markle showing her growing baby bump.
In the historic interview, the mother-to-be opened up about life in ‘The Firm’ and the struggles she faced adjusting to life in the Royal family.
But she revealed she was ‘silenced’ by officials who told her to always answer ‘no comment’, adding, ‘because it was also through the lens of ‘And we’ll protect you.’
Meghan added: ‘It was only once we were married and everything started to really worsen that I came to understand that not only was I not being protected but that 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.’
Meghan revealed she was ‘silenced’ by officials who told her to always answer ‘no comment’, adding, ‘because it was also through the lens of ‘And we’ll protect you.’
Meghan Markle has spoken of ‘The Firm’ – a mafia-like term used to describe the Royal Family – had tried to smear and silence her
Meghan, pictured during her first engagement with the Queen in 2018
Oprah asked Meghan: ‘You came in as an actress. You came in as a divorcee. You came in as an independent woman. You came in as the first mixed- race person to marry into the family. And yours was a different story.
And did that concern you in– in being able to fit in? Did– did you think about that at all?’
Meghan replied: ‘Well, I thought about it because they made me think about it.
‘Right? But I think, 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 yogurt shop called Humphrey yogart.
‘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 asked, ‘Were you silent? Or were you silenced?’
Meghan said: ‘The latter.’
Oprah: ‘So, how does that work? Were you told by the comms people or the– I don’t know– the institution, the– were– were you told to keep silent? Were you– were you told to say nothing?’
Meghan told her: ‘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. And we did. 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.
‘I believed that. And– 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 understand that not only was I not being protected but that 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 asked: ‘So, are you saying you did not feel supported by the powers that be, be that the firm, the monarchy, all of them?’
Meghan said: ‘It’s hard for people to distinguish the two because there’s– it’s a family business, right?
‘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 compartmentalize that, because the queen, for example, has always been wonderful to me. I mean, we had one of our first joint engagements together.’
Meghan pictured with sister-in-law Kate watching the tennis at Wimbledon in 2019
Meghan added: ‘She asked me to join her…She gave me some 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–her knees for warmth.
‘And it was chilly, and she was like, ‘Meghan, come on,’ and put it over my knees, as well.
‘Right? Just moments of– and it made me think of my grandmother where she’s always been warm and inviting and– and really welcoming.’
Oprah: So, okay, so she made you feel welcomed.
Meghan: Yes.
Oprah: Did you feel welcomed by everyone? It seemed like you and Kate at the Wimbledon– Wimbledon game where you were going to watch a friend play tennis…
Meghan: (Laughs)
‘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.’