Prince Harry told Oprah Winfrey that royal life is a “toxic environment,” but that his father, Prince Charles, has “made peace with it.”
In a new clip from their blockbuster weekend interview released Monday on “CBS This Morning,” the Duke of Sussex said “sadly” no one from his family has apologized for the treatment he and his wife, American Meghan Markle faced that prompted them to step away from royal duties and move to the United States. “The feeling is that this was our decision, therefore the consequences are on us. Despite three years of asking for help and seeing or visualizing how this might end, it was — I don’t know — it’s been really hard.”
He called the situation “toxic” but pointed out he’s always been “part of the system,” as is everyone in the royal family, and while his brother, Prince William, can’t leave that system, he can.
When Winfrey asked if William wants to leave the royal family, Harry demurred, saying he can’t speak for his brother.
Markle also noted that she had faced very different problems as a new member of the royal family than what Charles and other family members had encountered. She said that the fact that she is of mixed race and American were special challenges for her winning acceptance in U.K. society and that social media has amplified some of the toxicity in ways that didn’t exist a generation ago.
Markle said she is aware other royal family members also face mistreatment at the hands of the British press, noting some of the tabloid criticism of Kate Middleton’s weight and appearance. But, she argued, “Rude and racist are not the same.”
WATCH: @Oprah asks Prince Harry if family members reached out to apologize for the reasons he felt he had to leave.
“No, sadly not.” #OprahMeghanHarry pic.twitter.com/2NtGZcmB5A
— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) March 8, 2021