NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Lifestyle

How the world reacted: 'Bombshell' Harry, Meghan interview reverberates across globe

AP
8 Mar, 2021 11:46 PM8 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
/
Duration 0:00
Loaded: 0%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time -0:00
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions settings, opens captions settings dialog
    • captions off, selected

      This is a modal window.

      Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.

      Text
      Text Background
      Caption Area Background
      Font Size
      Text Edge Style
      Font Family

      End of dialog window.

      This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button.

      Autoplay in
      5
      Disable Autoplay
      Cancel Video
      CBS had promised Oprah's interview with Harry and Meghan would be a "bombshell", and they did not disappoint. Video / CBS

      Prince Harry and Meghan's explosive TV interview divided people around the world on Monday, rocking an institution that is struggling to modernise with claims of racism and callousness toward a woman struggling with suicidal thoughts.

      During the two-hour appearance with Oprah Winfrey, Harry also revealed the problems had ruptured relations with his father, Prince Charles, and brother, Prince William, illuminating the depth of the family divisions that led the couple to step away from royal duties and move to California last year.

      Oprah Winfrey interviews Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on a CBS Primetime Special. Photo / AP
      Oprah Winfrey interviews Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on a CBS Primetime Special. Photo / AP

      The palace has not yet responded to the interview, in which Meghan described feeling so isolated and miserable inside the royal family that she had suicidal thoughts and said a member of the family had "concerns" about the colour of her unborn child's skin.

      The family member was not Queen Elizabeth II or Prince Philip, according to Harry, sparking a flurry of speculation about who it could be.

      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.
      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.

      Leaders around the world were asked about the interview, and citizens of many countries had an opinion.

      In Accra, Ghana, Devinia Cudjoe said that hearing that a member of the royal family was worried about the colour of the skin of an unborn child was insulting to people of the Commonwealth, the grouping of Britain and its former colonies that is headed by the queen.

      "That is pure racism," Cudjoe said. "(The) Commonwealth is supposed to foster unity, oneness amongst black people, amongst white people. But if we are hearing things like this … I think that is below the belt."

      In Nairobi, Kenya, Rebecca Wangare called Meghan "a 21st-century icon of a strong woman. She has faced racism head-on."

      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.
      President Joe Biden praised Meghan's courage. Photo / AP
      President Joe Biden praised Meghan's courage. Photo / AP

      Asma Sultan, a journalist in Karachi, Pakistan, said the interview "is going to tarnish the image of the royal family."

      "There is so much controversy ever since Diana's death, so it is new Pandora box which is opened up," she said.

      British Prime Minister Boris Johnson refused to comment on the interview, praising the queen but saying that "when it comes to matters to do with the royal family the right thing for a prime minister to say is nothing."

      A senior UK Government minister, Lord Goldsmith, echoed the mood of many in royal circles yesterday. Responding to the suggestion that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had "loaded up a plane and dropped bomb after heavy bomb on Buckingham Palace", he tweeted: "Not 'Buckingham Palace' – Harry's family. Harry is blowing up his family."

      Discover more

      Royals

      Joe Biden praises Meghan's 'courage' during Oprah interview

      08 Mar 10:26 PM
      Entertainment

      Royal experts caught out in Meghan, Oprah interview prank

      08 Mar 11:49 PM
      Royals

      Meghan accuses dad Thomas of 'betraying' her in unseen Oprah clip

      08 Mar 09:36 PM
      Royals

      How Harry and Meghan's racism claims could damage the royal brand

      08 Mar 08:38 PM

      Opposition Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer said it was "really sad to see the family in turmoil like this" and that the allegations made by the duchess must be taken seriously.

      Asked whether US President Joe Biden and his wife Jill had any reaction to the interview, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Meghan's decision to speak about her struggles with mental health "takes courage" and "that's certainly something the president believes in."

      But she said she wouldn't offer additional comment on the situation "given these are private citizens, sharing their own story and their own struggles."

      The allegations are especially damaging because many observers hoped Harry and Meghan, who is biracial, would help the tradition-bound monarchy relate to an increasingly multicultural nation. In the early days of their marriage, Harry and Meghan joined William and his wife, Catherine, in projecting a glamorous, energetic image for the young royals.

      That partnership was severed when Harry and Meghan left the country, saying they wanted to earn their own living and escape what they called intrusive, racist coverage by the British media.

      But the interview brought that criticism into the palace itself, with the couple directing allegations of racism at an unidentified member of the royal family.

      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.

      Meghan said that when she was pregnant with her son, Archie, Harry told her that the royal family had had "concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he's born."

      Harry confirmed the conversation, saying: "I was a bit shocked." He said he wouldn't reveal who made the comment. Winfrey later said Harry told her the comment didn't come from Queen Elizabeth II or Prince Philip, his grandparents.

      Meghan, 39, acknowledged she was naive at the start of her relationship with Harry and unprepared for the strictures of royal life. A successful actress before her marriage, she said she bridled at the controlling nature of being royal, squirming at the idea that she had to live on terms set by palace staff. This was compounded by the fact that the staff refused to help her when she faced racist attacks from the media and internet trolls, she said.

      The situation became so difficult that at one point, "I just didn't want to be alive anymore," Meghan told Winfrey.

      But when she sought help through the palace's human resources department, she was told there was nothing it could do because she wasn't an employee, Meghan said.

      The implications for the interview — which was broadcast Sunday evening in the United States and will air in Britain on Monday night — are only beginning to be understood. Emily Nash, royal editor at Hello! Magazine, said the revelations had left her and many other viewers "shell-shocked."

      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.

      Not ‘Buckingham Palace’ - Harry’s family. Harry is blowing up his family. 
      “What Meghan wants, Meghan gets”. https://t.co/2ui5anDvpg

      — Zac Goldsmith (@ZacGoldsmith) March 8, 2021

      "I don't see how the palace can ignore these allegations, they're incredibly serious," she said. "You have the racism allegations. Then you also have the claim that Meghan was not supported, and she sought help even from the HR team within the household and was told that she couldn't seek help."

      The younger royals have made campaigning for support and awareness around mental health one of their priorities. But Harry said the royal family was completely unable to offer that support to its own members.

      "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,'" Harry said.

      Read More

      • Meghan and Harry's four strict rules for Oprah interview - NZ Herald
      • Piers Morgan lashes out at Meghan and Harry following Oprah interview - NZ Herald
      • Twenty things we learnt from Harry and Meghan's interview with Oprah - NZ Herald
      • Oprah on Meghan and Harry: Queen and Prince Philip weren't behind Archie comments - NZ Herald
      • UK media reacts to Meghan and Harry's bombshell Oprah interview - NZ Herald

      The couple had faced severe criticism in the United Kingdom before the interview. Prince Philip, 99, is in a London hospital recovering from a heart procedure, and critics saw the decision to go forward as being a burden on the queen — even though CBS, rather than Harry and Meghan, dictated the timing of the broadcast.

      In the United States, sympathy for the couple poured in. Tennis star Serena Williams, a friend who attended Harry and Meghan's wedding, said on Twitter that the duchess's words "illustrate the pain and cruelty she's experienced".

      "The mental health consequences of systemic oppression and victimization are devastating, isolating and all too often lethal," Williams added.

      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.

      pic.twitter.com/fYx4HlZutl

      — Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) March 8, 2021

      Britain could be less forgiving once the full interview is broadcast, since some see the pair as putting personal happiness ahead of public duty.

      Meghan — then known as Meghan Markle, who had starred on the American TV legal drama Suits — married Harry at Windsor Castle in May 2018.

      But even that was not what it seemed: The couple revealed in the interview that they exchanged vows in front of Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby three days before their spectacular wedding ceremony at the castle.

      The Duke and Duchess of Sussex Harry and Meghan announced that Meghan is pregnant with their second child in February. Photo / AP
      The Duke and Duchess of Sussex Harry and Meghan announced that Meghan is pregnant with their second child in February. Photo / AP

      Archie was born the following year and in a rare positive moment in the interview, the couple revealed their second child, due in the summer, would be a girl.

      Harry said he had lived in fear of a repeat of the fate of his mother, Princess Diana, who was covered constantly by the press and died in a car crash in Paris in 1997 while being pursued by paparazzi.

      "What I was seeing was history repeating itself, but definitely far more dangerous — because then you add race in, and you add social media in," Harry said.

      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.

      Both Meghan and Harry praised the support they had received from the monarch.

      "The queen has always been wonderful to me," Meghan said.

      But Harry revealed he currently has a poor relationship with William and said things got so bad with his father that at one point Prince Charles stopped taking his calls.

      "There is a lot to work through there," Harry said of his father. "I feel really let down. He's been through something similar. He knows what pain feels like. And Archie is his grandson. I will always love him, but there is a lot of hurt that has happened."

      Save

        Share this article

      Latest from Lifestyle

      Premium
      Lifestyle

      Opinion: The quiet secret to modern marital bliss

      04 Jul 04:51 PM
      Lifestyle

      The high-protein food boom: What it means for NZ consumers

      03 Jul 10:00 PM
      Premium
      Lifestyle

      The surprising health benefits of magic mushrooms

      03 Jul 06:00 PM

      Sponsored: Get your kids involved in your reno

      sponsored
      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.
      Recommended for you
      'Real and unequal': MP's death highlights kidney disease crisis among Māori
      Kahu

      'Real and unequal': MP's death highlights kidney disease crisis among Māori

      04 Jul 05:00 PM
      Morning quiz: Who painted Girl with a Pearl Earring?
      New Zealand

      Morning quiz: Who painted Girl with a Pearl Earring?

      04 Jul 05:00 PM
      Bosson in right head space and weight range for racing return
      Racing

      Bosson in right head space and weight range for racing return

      04 Jul 05:00 PM
      What to watch at this year's Whānau Mārama: NZ International Film Festival
      Entertainment

      What to watch at this year's Whānau Mārama: NZ International Film Festival

      04 Jul 05:00 PM
      'Sassy' success: Climate-resilient apple's exports set to double
      The Country

      'Sassy' success: Climate-resilient apple's exports set to double

      04 Jul 05:00 PM

      Latest from Lifestyle

      Premium
      Opinion: The quiet secret to modern marital bliss

      Opinion: The quiet secret to modern marital bliss

      04 Jul 04:51 PM

      The modern marriage has a spare room and we're not afraid to use it.

      The high-protein food boom: What it means for NZ consumers

      The high-protein food boom: What it means for NZ consumers

      03 Jul 10:00 PM
      Premium
      The surprising health benefits of magic mushrooms

      The surprising health benefits of magic mushrooms

      03 Jul 06:00 PM
      Premium
      A loved one was diagnosed with dementia. Now what?

      A loved one was diagnosed with dementia. Now what?

      03 Jul 06:00 AM
      Sponsored: Why heat pumps make winter cheaper
      sponsored

      Sponsored: Why heat pumps make winter cheaper

      NZ Herald
      • About NZ Herald
      • Meet the journalists
      • Newsletters
      • Classifieds
      • Help & support
      • Contact us
      • House rules
      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms of use
      • Competition terms & conditions
      • Our use of AI
      Subscriber Services
      • NZ Herald e-editions
      • Daily puzzles & quizzes
      • Manage your digital subscription
      • Manage your print subscription
      • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
      • Subscribe to Herald Premium
      • Gift a subscription
      • Subscriber FAQs
      • Subscription terms & conditions
      • Promotions and subscriber benefits
      NZME Network
      • The New Zealand Herald
      • The Northland Age
      • The Northern Advocate
      • Waikato Herald
      • Bay of Plenty Times
      • Rotorua Daily Post
      • Hawke's Bay Today
      • Whanganui Chronicle
      • Viva
      • NZ Listener
      • Newstalk ZB
      • BusinessDesk
      • OneRoof
      • Driven Car Guide
      • iHeart Radio
      • Restaurant Hub
      NZME
      • About NZME
      • NZME careers
      • Advertise with NZME
      • Digital self-service advertising
      • Book your classified ad
      • Photo sales
      • NZME Events
      • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
      TOP
      search by queryly Advanced Search