King Charles was the only member of the royal family to address Meghan Markle’s damning allegations of racism, an author has claimed.
During an interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021, the Duchess of Sussex alleged there were “concerns and conversations” about how dark her son Prince Archie’s skin might be when he’s born.
Charles and Meghan discussed the issue in private letters that were exchanged in the aftermath of the interview, Omid Scobie’s new book Endgame claims, with the then-Prince of Wales said to have suggested Meghan should also share her feelings with Kate and William.
Meghan made claims over royal reaction to her son Archie before he was born— (Toby Melville/PA)
However, Scobie alleges that neither Meghan nor Harry have heard from the now-Prince and Princess of Wales regarding the race row, quoting an unnamed source close to the family as saying: “The silence has caused a lot of confusion and upset.”
Earlier this year, The Telegraph reported that Meghan wrote a letter to Charles, expressing her concerns about an unconscious bias within the royal family, in the aftermath of her interview with Winfrey.
Meghan’s letter was reportedly written in response to correspondence from Charles, who expressed his sadness over the divide within the royal family. He was also reportedly disappointed at the nature of Meghan’s high-profile and serious allegation.
Both Charles and Meghan acknowledged that the alleged remark about Archie’s skin colour was not made with malice. Thanking her father-in-law for his letter, Meghan clarified she was not accusing the royal family of racism but, rather, raising concerns about an unconscious bias.
The new book contains various claims about the royal family— (Calder Publicity/HarperCollins)
After the Winfrey interview, Buckingham Palace released a statement on behalf of the late Queen Elizabeth II, noting that “recollections may vary” with regards to the racism allegations put forward by the duchess.
“The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan,” the statement read. “The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately.
“Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much-loved family members.”
The Independent has contacted representatives for Buckingham Palace and the Sussexes for comment.
Endgame will be released in the UK on 28 November. You can readThe Independent’s review of the book here and find all the biggest revelations in it here.
