Prince Harry has claimed he did not label the Royal Family racist – but added that when you are “called out for unconscious bias you need to make that right”.
His apparent backpedalling came during his ITV interview last night as he addressed the claim from his 2021 Oprah Winfrey chat.
In that he had asserted a family member raised concerns about son Archie’s skin colour before his birth.
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The claim exposed The Firm to allegations of racism, forcing the Queen to give a statement saying: “Recollections may vary.”
While he insisted he never accused them of racism, the Duke of Sussex suggested the institution is guilty of “unconscious bias”.
And despite the fall-out from claims in his memoir, Spare, he said he would be willing to offer his family “forgiveness” if they will meet him.
He added: “I love my father. I love my brother. I love my family. I will always. Nothing of what I’ve done in this book or otherwise has ever been to, uh, any intention to harm them or hurt them.” Harry, 38, addressed the storm over his book in a 90-min-ute chat with News at Ten anchor Tom Bradby.
The race row over Archie was a key topic, having also forced brother Prince William to say: “We are very much not a racist family.”
When challenged over “accountability” and accusing family members of racism, the Duke snapped: “No, I didn’t. I wouldn’t, not having lived within that family.”
Harry again refused to reveal who allegedly questioned Archie’s skin colour, saying: “The difference is unconscious bias and racism, but if you are called out for unconscious bias you need to make that right. And you have the opportunity and the choice. But if you choose not to, then that rapidly becomes something much more serious.”
Harry also said he and wife Meghan, 41, backed the late Queen’s former aide Lady Susan Hussey, embroiled in a race row last month, saying: “We think she’s great.” During the chat with Bradby, Harry also told of how he had hoped the ‘Fab Four’ of him and Meghan, William and Kate would bring him closer to his brother.
But he accused Wills and Kate – who today celebrates her 41st birthday – of creating “a barrier”.
After accusing William of bullying him out of The Firm and Kate of being cold with Meghan, Harry claimed they did not get on with her “almost from the get go”, claiming “a lot of my family” read articles about her being an “American actress, divorced, biracial” and formed a bad opinion.
He said he wants his brother and their father, King Charles, to read his book, suggesting any response would “be private”. And he said he wants the royals to respond to his war of words, saying: “Silence only allows the abuser to abuse.”
After demanding a summit, Harry said he would be willing to forgive his family, saying: “There’s probably people who will go, ‘How could you forgive your family?’ Forgiveness is 100% a possibility because I would like to get my father back. I would like to have my brother back. At the moment, I don’t recognise them, as much as they probably don’t recognise me.”
He added: “I believe that reconciliation between my family and us will have a ripple effect across the entire world.”
Harry also made a sensational offer to return to help the monarchy, saying: “If my father asks us for support across the Commonwealth then that is certainly an open discussion.”
And he said he may even come to the King’s coronation in May, saying: “There’s a lot that can happen between now and then. The ball is in their court.”
ITV said there were no restrictions on the subjects covered in the interview – filmed in California on December 20 – and Harry was not given prior notice of questions. He got no payment. Buckingham Kensington Palaces did not comment last night. Meanwhile, the King, 74, smiled and chatted with well-wishers at a service at Castle Rising Church in Norfolk yesterday.
It is understood William, 40, and Kate will return to work this week.
Spare, published by Penguin Random House, is out tomorrow. Harry: The Interview is available to view on Virgin Media in Ireland.
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