Royal Family Taking Meghan Markle Racism Claims ‘Very Seriously’

Two days after Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey aired on CBS, the British royal family has finally responded.

Buckingham Palace issued a statement Tuesday on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II, saying the royals were “saddened” to learn about Harry and Meghan’s struggles before stepping down as senior members of the royal family.

“The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning,” the palace said. “While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately.”

The statement added, “Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved family members.”

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BREAKING: Buckingham Palace releases statement on behalf of Queen Elizabeth following Prince Harry and Meghan's interview, saying, "The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan." https://t.co/6k5NR1em41 pic.twitter.com/TCekWLqQau

— ABC News (@ABC) March 9, 2021

The royal remarks came after Meghan and Harry explained in Sunday’s two-hour interview why they left the U.K. and moved to California.

Meghan, who is biracial, accused the royals of racism and said they commented that her then-unborn son Archie might be darker than the rest of the family. She told Winfrey unidentified members of the royal family shared “concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he’s born.”

The former Suits actress added that the issue was raised around the same time she was told — in a break with protocol — that her son would not receive a royal title or a security detail.

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At another point in the interview, Meghan said she was “silenced” by the royals, yet the family refused to address lies about her in the tabloids. She said her life in the U.K. became so unbearable that she began having suicidal thoughts.

“I just didn’t want to be alive anymore. And that was a very clear and real and frightening constant thought,” she told Winfrey, adding that she went to “one of the most senior people” to try to seek mental health treatment. “I said that I’ve never felt this way before, and I need to go somewhere. And I was told that I couldn’t, that it wouldn’t be good for the institution.”

Meanwhile Harry told the media mogul he felt “trapped” in his life as a member of the royal family. Harry added that his father, Prince Charles, stopped taking his calls after he and Meghan left the U.K.

“You just said your dad stopped taking your calls,” Oprah said. “Why?”

“Because I took matters into my own hands,” Harry replied. “It was like I need to do this for my family. This is not a surprise to anybody, it’s really sad that it’s got to this point, but I’ve got to do something for my own mental health, for my wife’s, because I could see where this is headed.”